This petition has been started because Dudley Council is failing children and families who rely on the SEND service. Too many parents have been left waiting for support, assessments, plans, and decisions that directly impact their child’s education, wellbeing, and future. Delays have escalated to unacceptable levels, leaving hundreds of children and families feeling ignored, exhausted, and abandoned by the very system that is supposed to support them.

This petition is not about pointing fingers at individual staff members. It is about accountability, transparency, and demanding answers from the leadership of Dudley Council. Families deserve to know why these delays have been allowed to grow to the point they have, why concerns have been overlooked for so long, and what urgent action will now be taken to put things right.

We are calling for a full debate in Dudley Council Chamber so councillors, council leadership, and the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services publicly address the crisis within the SEND system. Residents deserve clear answers on how the council intends to improve the service, reduce delays, rebuild trust with families, and ensure that children with additional needs receive the support they are entitled to without unnecessary barriers or prolonged waiting times.

Every child deserves the chance to thrive. Every family deserves to be listened to. Dudley Council must now show how it intends to improve the lives of the hundreds of children and families who have been left behind.