"There is nowhere for my SEN-betweener child to go": Calls for specific special needs school in Kent
Langley mum calls for better education options for children with "medium" special educational needs
Last updated 10th Nov 2025
A mother from Langley is demanding improvements in educational options for children whose special educational needs (SEN) don’t qualify them for specialist schools yet leave them unable to cope in mainstream education.
She says local provisions cannot meet her nine-year-old daughter’s autism-related needs:
"The local authority has consulted with more than seventeen schools and no-one can meet her need.
"In Kent we do not have a school for children that are the SEN-betweeners so there is no option for her but to stay at home.
"But she doesn't want to be at home with me, she wants to be with her peers, her friends, but she just can't cope in a mainstream school."
This mum, who wishes to stay anonymous, tells Greatest Hits and Hits Radio her daughter suffered a mental breakdown in October 2023 after spending time in a school environment unsuitable for her needs.
Despite multiple expert assessments highlighting obstacles such as dyspraxia, dysgraphia, and a language disorder, she claims Kent County Council initially refused a statutory Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) until she took legal action, costing the family approximately £20,000.
Even with the EHCP, she said the council consulted inappropriate schools and eventually placed her daughter in a setting that exacerbated her school trauma.
Now, her child receives minimal education via tutoring at home but lacks access to essential therapeutic and social resources.
"Kent doesn’t provide the right schools for children like my daughter – those I call ‘SEN-betweener’ children. They’re not severe enough for specialist education, yet mainstream schools and other options don’t accommodate their needs."
"The long-term impact on her mental health has already been enormous. She feels guilty, she knows what we’ve been going through to get her the support she needs.
"It has also taken a toll on my family, my business, my mental health. Parents shouldn’t have to fight this hard for their children’s education and wellbeing.
What Kent County Council is doing
Kent County Council says it’s investing nearly £500 million into Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support for 2025-26, alongside an estimated £210 million contribution from mainstream schools.
According to the council, Kent already has a higher proportion of children with EHCPs attending special schools compared to the national average.
A Kent County Council spokesperson said:
"We fully understand every parent wants the best education and support for their child. We continue to secure more places in state-funded special schools, including completing The Beacon School's new site in Walmer which will offer 176 new places in September."
We are also looking to invest further in specialist resource provision places in mainstream schools by 2030 to support children with the most complex needs."
Kent County Council says plans are also underway to refine mainstream school curriculums and foster better collaboration with NHS services to deliver support.