‘I had to give up my job to care for my blind child – I have no confidence in SEND reforms’
Parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are worried to see support reduced as the government consults on reforming the system, a new survey has found.
Children who need additional support at nursery, school or college can currently access help through the SEND system by contacting their parents through their Education, Health and Care (EHCP) scheme.
The government has indicated it will publish plans to reform the SEND system in its expected Schools White Paper earlier this year.
The growth in EHCPs has meant increased council spending, and some have proposed legislative change that would enable EHCPs to focus only on the highest needs; Many SEND parents have also expressed concerns about this.
The survey by disability charity Sense found that almost half (47 per cent) of SEND parents are worried the changes will result in reduced support.
Kimberly Hind, mother of five-year-old Harvey, who is deaf-blind, said they had been waiting for his EHCP for more than a year.
Meanwhile, he lost his quota at a private school and had difficulty going to a kindergarten that did not have the capacity to meet his needs.
He was becoming extremely distressed about going to nursery; So much so that Mrs Hind had to give up her job to focus on caring for herself, leaving the family of five solely dependent on her husband’s income and her nanny’s allowance.
Harvey was finally able to start a private school in September 2025 after receiving his final EHCP in February.
Describing the situation as “terrible”, Kimberly said: “I have no confidence in how the education system for disabled children can be changed – and this is based on real experience; this is not just an opinion. You can change anything with legislation but local authorities still won’t comply. They have no staff, no funding, no training.”
“I’m worried there may even be funding cuts. That’s very worrying. I’m counting on Harvey’s school to bail him out and make sure he continues to get the educational support he needs, no matter what.”
He added: “I think the early years of education are so important and if disabled children with complex needs miss out on that it will have an impact for a long, long time, if not forever.”
Sense’s research found that half (50 percent) of parents surveyed said they were nervous about the reforms, and almost half (48 percent) said they were stressed about getting the support they already have.
A SEND taskforce set up by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) previously found that one in 14 young people will wait more than a year to receive an EHCP in 2024.
Sense CEO James Watson-O’Neill said: “A staggering number of children are being failed by the confusing and underfunded Referral system. “Too many children are falling through the cracks at the expense of their happiness, well-being and future life chances.
“So it is hardly surprising that parents feel deep anxiety and distrust about upcoming education reforms. If their children’s legal rights are further weakened or attempts are made to cut spending, the consequences could be devastating.”
Education secretary Georgia Gould has previously said “there will always be a statutory right to additional support” for young people with SEND.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “Through our national conversation we have heard from many families who have been failed by the SEND system; parents are struggling for support and increasing demand means children’s needs are heading towards crisis point.
“Our reforms will rebuild parents’ trust by fixing what is not working in the system. We are ending the postcode lottery by strengthening support for those who need it and protecting parental rights that are shaped directly by the views and experiences of those who know the system best.
“We are laying the foundations for an inclusive education system where children are supported at the earliest stages and can thrive in a school that meets their needs, close to home – including £200 million to train all teachers in SEND and at least £3 billion to create 50,000 new specialist places.”
