SEN0147

Written evidence submitted by Mr P Barber

The SEND system is broken and is failing thousands of innocent children up and down the country. Long waiting times, inadequately qualified staff and inadequate resources are leading to increased trauma and distress for children and families who are already struggling.

The whole system needs an overhaul and requires significant funding after years of neglect.  The process of seeking support from suitably qualified professionals needs to be transparent and simple.  Schools need more awareness and understanding of SEND and how children are affected. OFSTED need to stop dismissing parents stories and declaring that everything is as it should be when it clearly isn’t.

The process of applying for an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) needs to be speeded up and it needs to be a transparent process.  Online hubs should be created so that parents can monitor progress of the EHCP application and can see consultation responses.  More professionals should be appointed to assist in the creation of a EHCP.  In our case, our child’s EHCP took a year to produce and in the time that took they lost out on their Reception year at school and this has had subsequent knock-on effects.  Local Authorities need to be held to account for breaching legal timescales and staff need to be employed to support the families and children rather than parents being left to fight their own battles. Staff should be accessible and responsive rather than ignoring calls and emails.  It is wrong that disadvantaged children and families are left to suffer even more by a broken system.

Early diagnosis from professionals is critical and can prevent a multitude of issues from building up at a later date.  Nurseries and pre-school settings should be encouraged to support parents in seeking appropriate support as early as possible when concerns are highlighted. Health visitors should play an active role in this.  The NHS should have SEND experts to lend support to education settings and services.

Primary schools need more training and awareness. Headteachers should not be allowed to expel or suspend young children if they are unable to meet that child’s needs. Instead appropriate support, with the aid of appropriately qualified SENCO’s should be obtained and provided so that further harm to vulnerable children is minimised.

Finally, whatever system is developed following this process, parents should be made fully aware of the options available to them if their child is having difficulties.  There are services out there that we never knew about, and so never accessed.

January 2025