Wellingborough mum says council sent outdated care plans to prospective schools
Sofia Gaspar's five-year-old son currently doesn't have a school place, which she puts down to mistakes by North Northants Council.
A Northamptonshire mum has spoken out about the difficulties of back-to-school season for children with additional needs, as parents struggle with finding school places and navigating outdated and incorrect council care plans.
Sofia Gaspar, 32, cares for her five-year-old son, who is currently out of school. She has said issues with the council’s SEND service and provision make it feel like she is “stuck in the same place”, while other children are moving on and returning to education.
Northamptonshire councils have said the number of children being identified with SEND is increasing at “unprecedented rates”, but that work is continuing with parents and carers to improve SEND services.
The Wellingborough mother said she was faced with a wall of silence over the summer holidays while waiting to hear if her son would be enrolled at a school that could provide for his special educational needs. Though he should be in his first years of primary, he has been out of formal schooling since his previous placement broke down earlier this year and is receiving tutoring in the interim.
Ms Gaspar said she found out at the beginning of September that North Northants Council (NNC) had been sending an old draft version of her son’s education, health and care plan (EHCP) to potential schools, which she says contained several errors.
She said this has resulted in him being turned down based on misrepresented needs and is concerned that the same errors may be occurring with other families.
"They NNC told me that he should have a school place for this September. That obviously didn't happen. And yes, the next step is school place. He needs to go to school. We need to be able to have a healthy routine and he needs to be able to socialise and be a normal happy child, like every other child."
Ms Gaspar says NNC has since acknowledged that the wrong EHCP was sent out after she made a complaint, but that she was offered no explanation of how such serious failings were allowed. She has also been told that new consultations will be sent out to schools this week with her son’s updated care plan.
She has now created her own website, called The Purple Guide, to help other families navigate the SEND system and empower them to stand together and fight for their rights, after finding through her own experience that a lot of time is “wasted knocking on doors” and “going around in circles”.
"They treat SEND children like, they're not as worthy and they don't have the same legal rights to care, protection and education as every other child."
Cornelia Andrecut, Executive Director of Children's Services, for North Northamptonshire Council, said:
“The number of children and young people being identified with SEND is increasing at unprecedented rates, both nationally and locally. This is putting a huge amount of pressure on capacity at North Northamptonshire's state-funded special schools. To address this, the Council has started a SEND strategic sufficiency programme, seeking to create 800 additional places in partnership with mainstream and special schools by 2031/32.
Alongside system-wide improvements, the Council remains focused on supporting individual children and families. Where specialist placements are not immediately available, bespoke education and support packages are developed in partnership with families and professionals. These may include daily one-to-one tuition and tailored input from partner organisations, ensuring that each child’s needs are met with care, flexibility, and ambition.
Earlier this year, the North Northamptonshire Local Area SEND Partnership - comprising the Council, the NHS Integrated Commissioning Board, Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, and North Northamptonshire Parent Carer Voice - refreshed its SEND and Inclusion Strategy.
The updated strategy reaffirms the partnership’s commitment to high aspirations for all children and young people with SEND, and outlines six key priorities:
• Early identification and meeting needs at the earliest opportunity through inclusive practice
• Co-production with families
• Building the capacity in the SEND system
• Transitions and Preparation for Adulthood
• A skilled, cross-organisational SEND workforce
• Strong, collaborative partnership working
North Northamptonshire remains committed to ensuring every child and young person with SEND receives the support they need to thrive - now and into the future.”
They add that if any families need further SEND support and information they can visit www.sendiassnorthnorthants.co.uk