The Northern Echo is running a series giving people of the North-East and North Yorkshire the chance to write their own manifesto ahead of the General Election on June 8. What would you do if you were Prime Minister? In no more than 300 words, tell us what your vision for Britain would be and send it to newsdesk@nne.co.uk. Please make sure you include your name, where you live, a photo of you, and a contact telephone number.

Michelle Abbs, 32, of Ferryhill, is a mother-of-three

THE key issues for me are schooling and young people, children with additional needs, mental health and the elderly.

The expectations of children at school are so high and I believe the one-for-all target that all children are expected to meet is too high.

The focus shouldn’t be on meeting stringent Ofsted requirements, but instead on the ability of each individual child and their needs.

Because the expectations are so high I think it causes unnecessary stress and anxiety for the children who can't meet the targets.

I would scrap all exams for infant and junior age children, I think they aren’t appropriate for children so young and should be saved for older children at comprehensive school.

I would make sure all school teachers have basic training on how to teach children with additional needs and I think there should be more resources and support for those with additional needs.

If early intervention was put in place these vulnerable individuals could go on to lead happy lives with the full support they need, instead of being left to struggle and fight for basic access to help with everyday life.

I run a support group called Little Treasures for families of children with autism and my group members are left with no support or help due to lack of funding and resources.

Some people don't know what support or help is out there without considering how to access it. I'm actively involved with my local community hub, the building has so much potential but we lack funding.

I organise youth clubs to engage with young people as I don’t think there is enough in our town for the kids. I also hold coffee mornings for the elderly, some of them go weeks or even months without seeing a soul.

I think the government should be putting money into our youth and schools because they are the next generation and we have a responsibility to look after and support the vulnerable and elderly.