Parents and carers in Birmingham call for change in SEND education
A protest was held in Birmingham city centre.
Last updated 5th Jan 2024
Parents, carers and professional educators across the West Midlands are calling for more support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Protests, organised by SEND Reform England, are taking place across the country, with a demonstration in Birmingham today (13 October).
Dozens of people gathered outside the Town Hall in Victoria Square claiming their children were not getting enough school support and access to specialist help.
Rachel Wright from Redditch organised the protest and told us: "There needs to be more understanding regarding neurodivergence and we are trying to prepare our children for futures where we are no longer here.
"It needs to start right the way from their nursery setting to post-16."
Justine Kelos from Sandwell has a son with special needs and said change is needed right now: "Our children deserve the right to an education, they deserve the right to be able to get jobs when they're older.
"We don't want our children to live on benefits, we don't our children not to succeed. They deserve to succeed."
A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Councils are responsible for making sure there is appropriate education for all children in their area, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
"Our published SEND and AP improvement plan sets out how we will make sure all children with special needs and disabilities receive the support they need, with earlier intervention, consistent high standards and less bureaucracy.
"The Government's investment in the high need budget has risen by over 60% since 2019-20 to ÂŁ10.5 billion, alongside investment of ÂŁ2.6 billion in high needs capital over this Spending Review and doubling the number of special free school places to 19,000 once those in the pipeline are complete."