Please add your story to this SEND Emergency petition & I will cycle 100 miles from Salisbury Cathedral to Downing Street to deliver this petition to our Government.

My 10 year old son Isaac was so unwell due to school trauma that his hair fell out, he screamed in his sleep, he was underweight ,and selectively mute. He has had 7 inadequate EHCP's. At school he was unable to access the classroom and was unable to access the curriculum. He has not attended school since December 2023 because he does not have a suitable school. At home we have pulled out all the stops to help Isaac recover from his trauma and catch up with his missed education. He is doing really well, but like many families home education is unsustainable, as it has placed a huge amount of stress upon our family affecting every aspect of our lives. We are both working reduced hours, my husband has lost customers, and my career is under threat. Isaac has the right to be educated in an environment and atmosphere that supports his learning, and provides him with a wide range of safe and stimulating learning opportunities and experiences that reflects his needs, abilities and interests.

‘If we want our children to grow up so they can be thriving, contributing members of society, it starts with giving them the education, health and care they are entitled to. After all, they are the taxpayers of the future. It is a completely false economy to do anything else other than properly fund our future generations; we have seen how lack of funds sets off a vicious circle: lack of funding leads to lack of support, escalating needs requiring more expensive provision without which children are left to flounder, needing more government support into adulthood. While not all the problems in SEND stem from a lack of funding, it is the starting point for most things that are wrong. There have been many years of chronic underfunding of local government, in particular of children’s education and social care services. And, of course, the same underfunding exists within the NHS, particularly of CAMHS’.

https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/7-point-open-letter-bridget-phillipson-new-education-secretary/

1.6 million pupils in England have SEN, 575,963 Children and young people in England have an EHCP. Children and young people’s rights and entitlements are clearly defined in the existing SEND legal framework, but too many children and young people with SEND do not receive the special educational provision and support they need.

Data obtained has revealed that 8,660 children in England, Scotland and Wales are unable to access formal education despite having an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). While the number of pupils in England identified as having SEND rose by 87,000 between 2022 and 2023, the number of special school places has only risen by around 7,000. https://www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/thousands-of-children-with-send-unable-to-access-formal-education/

The lack of SEND support for the child has a negative impact for the family; with 40% of mothers having to give up their job and 33% having to reduce their working hours. Mostly due to the lack of LA and school support, but also due to the lack of flexibility from their employer. https://news.sky.com/story/three-out-of-four-parents-of-children-with-special-educational-needs-and-disabilities-forced-to-give-up-work-or-cut-hours-sky-news-learns-13210125

An average 87% of families with SEND children beak down due to lack of support. A recent study found that mothers of adolescents and adults with autism had levels of stress hormones comparable to soldiers in combat. https://www.bu.edu/wellness/social-well-being/parenting/parenting-children-with-special-needs/

The SEND system which is in Crisis, is now described as an ‘Emergency’ https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/send-emergency-debate-scrap-safety-valve-stop-trauma-families/

There should be a greater political focus on supporting children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). 

The system for supporting children and young people with SEND is in crisis, affecting numerous families within our community. 

Children and young people’s rights and entitlements are clearly enshrined in the existing SEND legal framework, but too many children and young people with SEND do not currently receive the special educational provision and wider support they need because the law is widely disregarded. This widespread non-compliance with the law has long-term negative consequences for children and young people’s education and overall well-being. 

If immediate political action is not taken, many children will continue to be deprived of the support they are legally entitled to. This not only impacts their education but also affects their future opportunities and quality of life. The current lack of accountability allows local authorities to ignore their statutory responsibilities without facing any repercussions, leaving families to navigate a challenging and often adversarial system. 

The existing SEND framework has the potential to transform the provision and support that children and young people with SEND receive, if it is fully implemented. We need leaders who will uphold and enforce the law to ensure every child receives the education and support they need. 

I hope to see a strong commitment to supporting children and young people with SEND on your platform. I urge parliament to prioritise this critical issue.

IPSEA's manifesto at 
https://www.ipsea.org.uk/the-right-to-an-education-our-manifesto-for-making-the-send-system-work

The system for supporting children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities is not working. Children and young people have a legal right to special educational provision and support that meets their needs, but the law is widely disregarded. 

The result is that too many children and young people are not getting the education and support they need, with long-term consequences for their educational outcomes and overall wellbeing.

It Is imperative that the SEND Emergency is addressed Immediately by parliament;

1. Applying the law on supporting children and young people with SEND; 

Children and young people’s rights and entitlements are clearly enshrined in the existing SEND legal framework set out in the Children and Families Act 2014. But too many children and young people with SEND do not currently receive the special educational provision and wider support they need and to which the law entitles them, because the law is routinely not applied. 

The key to resolving the SEND crisis lies in finding a way to ensure that local authorities fulfil their statutory duties. Non-compliance with SEND law should become unacceptable and unaffordable for local authorities and schools. The outcome will be better provision for individual children and young people, and fewer appeals to the SEND Tribunal. 

2. Maintaining children and young people’s existing rights and entitlements;

The existing SEND framework has the potential to transform the provision and support that children and young people with SEND receive, if it is fully implemented. The system does not need to be reformed again, just made to work as it should. 

It is essential that children and young people’s existing rights to an education that meets their needs are upheld and not diluted by the next government. 

3. Making mainstream schools more inclusive for everyone;

Making mainstream schools genuinely inclusive for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities means upholding both the Children and Families Act 2014 the Equality Act 2010. 

There is an urgent need for a change in the culture that too often prevails in schools, to one in which differences are accepted, reasonable adjustments are made based on children’s individual needs, and training is provided to all school staff. 

SEN Support in schools should become a statutory requirement for children with SEND who need some extra provision and support but who do not need an EHC plan. This could be achieved by amending the Children and Families Act.

4. Making the SEND system more accountable;

Children and young people with SEND are being failed by the way the system for supporting them currently operates. This brings no negative consequences for local decision-makers, only for children and young people and their families. This is what we mean by a lack of accountability. 

Thousands of children are without a school place that meets their needs, and children with SEND are disproportionately excluded from school. This has long-term consequences for their academic progress and overall wellbeing. 

The government must introduce more robust accountability mechanisms so that no more children and young people are failed by the education system.

Children and young people’s rights and entitlements are clearly defined in the existing SEND legal framework, but too many children and young people with SEND do not receive the special educational provision and support they need.

By implementing the recommendations outlined in this manifesto, the next government can secure a future where children and young people with SEND receive the education they are entitled to by Law.

Please share your story below.

If you would like to sponsor our 100 mile cycle ride from Salisbury Cathedral to Downing Street please follow the link to our JustGiving page by clicking here https://www.justgiving.com/page/send-cycle-to-downing-street?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=EM

(NB The promotion link for change.org is not our fundraising page, it just promotes the petition on the websites platform).

Thank you for supporting & signing this petition.

Joy Harrison