We, the undersigned, demand that Derby City Council immediately scrap its unlawful, secret funding policies that treat disabled children’s futures like chips in a casino.

THE SCANDAL:

Internal emails obtained by a parent reveal a shocking culture of administrative cruelty at Derby City Council. Senior managers in the Special Educational Needs (SEND) department admit in private when they have no legal defence to deny a child support. Yet, instead of providing help, they instruct staff to "try our luck" by forcing families through intimidating Tribunals to delay spending money.

THE SECRET "MATRIX":

Why are they gambling with children's lives? To protect a secret.

Evidence shows the Council uses a hidden "High Needs Matrix" algorithm to cap funding for disabled children, overriding the lawful, professional evidence of what a child actually needs.

When parents ask to see this Matrix policy to understand why their child is being denied support, the Council refuses to release it, citing "workload" to block Freedom of Information requests. 

They are operating a secret financial system that denies lawful provision, and then "gambling" in court to stop parents challenging it.

WE DEMAND DERBY CITY COUNCIL:

1. Stop the "Gambling": Immediately cease the policy of defending Tribunal appeals that managers know are legally meritless just to delay provision.
2. Publish the "Matrix": Immediately release the full, unredacted "High Needs Matrix" policy and calculation mechanisms that are used to cap SEND funding.
3. Follow the Law: Commit to funding the provision specified by professional evidence in EHC Plans, instead of restricting it based on secret internal funding bands.

 
Disabled children are not statistics in a secret matrix or chips on a roulette table. Stop the secrecy. Stop the gambling. Follow the law.