Ian Sollom calls for Government to publish SEND reform plans as hundreds of constituents sign national petition

This week I attended a debate in Westminster Hall to represent the hundreds of constituents who signed an online petition about Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) support and assessments. This comes at a time when we are still waiting for the Government to unveil its reform plans for the SEND system after months of promises and no action. The debate was extremely busy with standing room only – reflecting just how important and pressing this issue is across the country.

I have heard from dozens of worried parents across my own constituency over the past year who have felt compelled to write to me about their situations. Many of the people I hear from are in a state of desperation and hopelessness, having been continuously failed by a system completely broken by the Conservative government, with no light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

The stories they tell me are often around complex needs which cannot be fixed quickly and need proper time and funding spent on them.

One mother in my constituency, Samantha, is at her wits end. She has two autistic children – one was finally given a place in a special school after 12 months of home education and thanks to her relentless persistence.

Her second child is in a mainstream school which is not meeting his needs – he has the condition known as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) meaning he faces anxiety and fear around attending school. It is a daily battle just to get him into the classroom and if he refuses and isn’t in by 9am he must return home. This has led to prolonged absences, which only maker his anxiety worse.

And this is a pupil who has an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) which states that he needs a member of staff to support him throughout the week. However, there is only funding to cover 11 hours of support a week meaning he is missing out on his education, as well as the vital social interaction that comes with it.

As Samantha says, the issue is two-fold. The local authorities are severely underfunded, overloaded with SEND cases and at breaking point. And mainstream schools are failing miserably to support these children as there is a lack of qualified, trained teaching assistants with knowledge of SEND.

Sadly, many children with SEND are so misunderstood and often suspended daily because of this lack of knowledge and training.

There are thousands of children and young people across the country just like my constituent’s son who are facing an enormous long-term impact on their lives and prospects. This is simply wrong, and the Government’s reforms must ensure we do not allow a generation to slip through the education net and into a life without opportunities.

The Liberal Democrats recognise how complex this system is and that full-scale reform, whilst needed, is not going to be a quick process. But the delay in the Government’s announcement on its reform plans is just not good enough.

In a letter to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education in July, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey and Education spokesperson Munira Wilson called on the Government to work with the Lib Dems and to use its five principles and priorities for reform:
Put children and families first – Children’s rights to SEND assessment and support must be maintained and voices of children and young people with SEND and of their families and carers must be at the centre of the reform process.

Boost specialist capacity and improve mainstream provision – Capacity in state school provision must be increased, alongside improvements to inclusive mainstream provision, with investment in both new school buildings and staff training

Support local government – Local authorities must be supported better to fund SEND services, including through:

a) The extension of the profit cap in children’s social care to private SEND provision;

b) National government funding to support any child whose assessed needs exceed a specific cost

Early identification and shorter waiting lists – Early identification and intervention must be improved, with waiting times for diagnosis, support and therapies

Fair funding – The SEND funding system must properly incentivise schools both to accept pupils with SEND and to train their staff in best practice for integrated teaching and pastoral care.

There are also some actions they can take immediately including opening the 67 new special free schools that are currently stuck in pre-opening phase and cutting red tape to allow local authorities to build special schools and units within mainstream schools without delays from central government.

I am calling on the Government to set out its plans for reform as a matter of urgency; to ensure children, young people, families and carers are at its core and to have a fair funding model where parents and local authorities can work together for the best outcome.