Families Voice Alarm Over Send Reforms Impact on Special Needs Support
Across England, families caring for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) are gripped by anxiety as the government prepares to unveil comprehensive reforms to the beleaguered support system. With over 1.7 million children classified as having special needs in the 2024-25 academic year, parents fear that proposed changes, aimed at streamlining access and controlling costs, could further destabilize an already overstretched network.
Struggles and Systemic Failures
May Race, residing near Winchester, shares the harrowing experience of her 12-year-old son Joseph, who is autistic with dyslexia and ADHD, including pathological demand avoidance. Joseph spends nearly all his time confined to his bedroom, too anxious and burnt out to engage with family or the outside world. Despite his creativity and kindness, he has been unable to attend school regularly since age eight and now receives no formal education.
Race attributes Joseph's deterioration to the Send system's failures, citing a lack of resources, flexibility, and understanding that she believes has exacerbated his condition. "The system does need reform because the journey we have been on for years has been absolutely awful," she states, echoing sentiments of countless families navigating similar battles for diagnoses, education, health and care plans (EHCPs), and suitable school placements.
Government Plans and Parental Apprehensions
On Monday, the government will announce its overhaul plans, promising quicker and easier access to supportive school places. Education minister Georgia Gould has assured that children with existing specialist placements will not lose them, emphasizing a shift towards empowering mainstream schools to support more children, potentially reducing the need for EHCPs.
However, this move sparks fear among parents who rely on EHCPs as legally enforceable guarantees of support. Becky, a mother from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, worries about her six-year-old son Kyllian, who is blind and has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and learning difficulties. Though Kyllian attends a specialist school, his entitlement hinges on his EHCP. Becky highlights ongoing concerns over funding cuts, particularly for school transport, which could jeopardize his placement due to safety risks from epileptic seizures.
Diverse Experiences, Shared Fears
Cheryl Garner from the East Riding of Yorkshire reports a positive experience with her five-year-old daughter Millie, who attends a specialist unit attached to a mainstream primary school—a model likely to expand under new proposals. Millie, who has non-verbal autism and global development delays, thrives in this environment. Yet, Garner remains "beyond worried" about systemic changes, recalling past struggles when Millie was out of education for 10 months due to inappropriate placements and transport issues.
Garner also points to challenges in accessing diagnoses, such as dyspraxia, which hinder support for mobility needs. "It's a bit daunting and I find it really unfair—because she's five," she remarks, underscoring the bureaucratic hurdles families face.
Local Authority Pressures and Calls for Reform
Local authorities, burdened by rising demand and financial constraints, acknowledge the crisis. A spokesperson for Hampshire council notes a 243% increase in EHCP requests since 2015, complicating placement availability. Victoria Aitken of East Riding of Yorkshire council calls for "bold and brave education reforms" and fairer funding, highlighting an £18 million shortfall compared to averages.
As families await reforms, Race's appeal for Joseph's out-of-school education package remains unresolved, with a hearing set for March 2027. She reflects on the broader societal failure: "I feel really sad that our society can't support neurodivergent children better. Mostly I feel sad that Joseph is still so unwell, and that he's been made unwell as a consequence of the system being so broken."
The impending Send reforms represent a critical juncture, with families hoping for improvement but bracing for potential setbacks in a system already in crisis.
