Families of SEND children in Suffolk expected to protest over support
A letter detailing the experience of a family with two children with SEND will be handed to county council representatives
Families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Suffolk are expected to protest outside the county council’s offices in Ipswich today.
A letter detailing the experience of a family with two children with SEND will be handed to county council representatives.
The mother, who is autistic and wishes to remain anonymous, claims neither of her teenage children are in education or employment – or receiving support outlined in their education, health and care plans (EHCPs).
EHCPs are legally binding documents that lay out the support children with SEND need.
The letter states: “Our daughter has cried many times about her EHCP. She used to cry ‘I thought it would help me’ and now just refuses to have appointments relating to learning or mental health as she does not trust that they will help.”
According to the mother, her daughter has hurt herself and made herself sick to miss school. The mother also claimed her daughter was removed from her college’s registers without being told.
What does the council say?
Rachel Hood, Cabinet Member for Education, SEND and Skills at Suffolk County Council, said: “It is important that we hear from families first-hand about their experience with SEND provision in Suffolk.
“These conversations allow us to make relevant and important changes to the way we do things.
“Significant improvements are already in place, following many months of reform and hard work, but we recognise that these changes are not felt by everyone.
“Widescale SEND reform continues to be the council’s biggest priority.”
The council has agreed the delivery of 1,317 new specialist places either in new schools or units linked to mainstream schools by 2026, and 826 of these new places are now open across Suffolk.
The letter to be handed over refers to some positive experiences, though claims they were cut short.
It states the daughter gained one to one support at home after being removed from college, which was “the best education experience she has ever had” but only lasted one year.
The letter also states: “Weekly meetings with key senior staff who really do care were provided for my son towards the end of Year 11.
“But they cannot move forward because you do not have the systems or resources in place, and our son is now missing out on post 16 education.”
Upheld complaints
The family has had seven complaints to the local government and social care ombudsman (LGSCO) upheld – including for not providing support outlined in EHCPs and failures in the annual review process into EHCPs. These decisions have been seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Annual reviews are processes required by law, in which the child’s progress and the suitability of their EHCP is considered.
Of all the children with EHCPs in Suffolk who were not attending school or another education provision at the beginning of January 2023, around 60 percent had an overdue annual review – according to a freedom of information request made by Adam Robertson, campaigner for SEND families in Suffolk and Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
Toni Wasag, one of the organisers for the peaceful protest, said: “This protest group was started during the pandemic, with a view to making a visual representation of all families, children and young people failed by the services in Suffolk, schools and other health services – including Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust.
“It’s important to remember that protesters are the tip of the iceberg, and for everyone out in support there will be hundreds if not thousands of others who have been failed in Suffolk.”
The protest will take place outside Endeavour House in Ipswich between 12pm and 2pm.
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust has been contacted for comment.