"I was ignored for seven months": Parents of SEND children highlight shocking failures in the system
A mother from Gravesend has opened up about her struggles navigating the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in Kent ahead of a nationwide awareness protest on 3rd November 2025.
Lala Essel's nine-year-old son Kamron requires specialist educational support for autism and ADHD.
She tells Greatest Hits and Hits Radio how she had to move closer to Maidstone to access a mainstream school with the appropriate facilities for her son, a decision that still involves a 30-mile round trip every day and costs her £120 a week in travel expenses.
“I’m trying to make sure my child is going to school, that he has the right resources, but I feel like I’m constantly having to fight for what he needs. The lack of communication, action and accountability is so difficult to deal with,” Lala said.
“You’re constantly chasing your tail,” Lala said. “My son needed occupational therapy and speech therapy in order to be able to go to school and learn. That was taken away from him for seven months with no explanation."
Despite a tribunal judge signing a consent order for Kamron's provisions in March 2025, the agreed support was not provided until October 2025 after seven months of emails and escalating complaints.
"I was ignored for seven months."
Kent has a higher proportion of children with Education, Health and Care Plans attending special schools (41%) compared to the national average (32%), placing significant pressure on the education system.
On Monday 3rd November, families from 92 local authority areas in England and Scotland will take part in 'Every Pair Tells a Story', a nationwide event organised by The SEND Sanctuary UK.
At 10:30 AM, parents, carers and children will gather outside local authority buildings to display rows of children’s shoes as a powerful symbol of those children let down by the SEND system.
“This is not just about missing education. It is about the loss of childhoods, opportunities, and hope,” said Aimee Bradley, founder of The SEND Sanctuary UK.
Recent figures reveal over 600,000 children in England have identified special educational needs.
Over 70,000 of those are still waiting for Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) to be completed and thousands remain without a school place altogether.
With the government set to implement its revised SEND and Alternative Provision reforms, campaigners are coming together to demand real, meaningful changes.
“The government must listen to parents,” Aimee added. “Our children deserve more than words. They deserve action, fairness, and a future.”
“Every pair of shoes is a child’s story," Aimee emphasised. "Together, we are sending a message too powerful to ignore.”
Lala is one of many parents calling for greater accountability from local authorities, saying, “If I’m going through this, then other parents are too. We’re not the problem – we’re the evidence of the problem.”
She is already dreading the upcoming annual review of her son’s education plan this December:
“I spent all year making sure his provisions are in place, and now I fear it’ll be another fight just to keep them there,” she said.
A KCC 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 with a further 176 new places in September.
"We are also looking to invest further in specialist resource provision (SRP) places in mainstream schools by 2030 to support children with the most complex needs."
In 2025-26, Kent County Council says it plans to spend £489 million on SEND, in addition to approximately a £210 million contribution from mainstream school budgets.