"We Are Left to It": Somerset SEND Parents Demand Change Ahead of National Protest
Georgina Dykes and Tatjana speak out as hundreds of families back calls for more SEND provision
Last updated 15th Sep 2025
Somerset SEND parents are leading calls for better support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), ahead of a national protest in London today.
Georgina Dykes and Tatjana set up a Somerset SEND parents group, which now has grown to include hundreds of families across the county. They say many parents share similar experiences of struggling to access timely support for their children.
“Jack has been failed for three years”
Georgina’s nine-year-old son Jack has been without education for years. “He isn’t in school and we have no tutoring. We are just left to it.”
She explains the toll on her family: “This lack of support affects mental health.”
Despite being bright and curious, excelling in maths, English and science, Jack has no formal schooling.
“He knows things you wouldn’t expect a child his age to know – but without proper teaching, it’s all bits and pieces.”
Reflecting on the day-to-day toll, she says: “There are times I feel completely alone, like I have no one to turn to. It’s heart-breaking to watch your child struggle and feel powerless to help.”
Trying to home educate has taken its toll on her own wellbeing.
Things worsened when Jack began experiencing severe stomach problems.
“He was screaming 24 hours a day. It was torturous for everyone in the house. At times I had to leave for appointments and friends or my mum would step in – and they’d say afterwards, ‘I don’t know how you cope, I couldn’t even manage for an hour or two.’ But this was my life, 24/7.”
Georgina says getting medical help was another long fight. It took a year to secure the right diagnosis and treatment, despite repeated attempts to get referrals through their GP.
“Eventually, when we found a GP who listened, things started to improve. Jack was put on the medication he needed straight away, and we’ve since been under a really good gastroenterologist and other specialists. But it shouldn’t have taken that long – it was a year of suffering and feeling ignored.”
Alongside Jack’s health needs, the family has also struggled with limited respite and inconsistent support.
“I was eventually awarded four hours respite care. But it’s not enough – nowhere near enough. Sometimes I’ve had to call social workers and say I’m not coping, that I’m getting really ill. Still, the help we get is minimal. You feel constantly failed by both the council and the NHS.”
“Parents like me have no support”
Tatjana has faced similar challenges trying to secure specialist school transport for her son Luke.
“I have to take matters into my own hands to get things moving.”
Despite professional evidence backing his case, the local authority argued he could walk the three miles to school. After two appeals, they offered a personal travel payment — but told the family they must arrange specialist transport themselves.
When Tatjana asked her son’s social worker for help, she recalls:
“Her reply was, ‘What do you want me to do, Tatjana?’ … I was just knocking against a brick wall. Even when safeguarding risks were raised, nothing happened.”
A taxi company quoted £97 per journey. The council’s offer was £1.50 a day.
“They are excluding Luke and denying him equal opportunity to attend education.
Feeling abandoned, Tatjana reached out to the SEND advocate in Somerset, who told her she had exhausted all possible routes. Determined not to give up, she went public with her concerns, which began to bring more attention to the issue.
She also lodged a complaint with the Local Government Ombudsman, but was told it could take 12–14 weeks. With the new school term looming, Tatjana and her family instructed solicitors to issue a pre-action protocol letter for judicial review.
“We’re talking here about discrimination. They are excluding Luke and denying him equal opportunity to attend education. A lot of policies and legal laws have been broken here, and it leaves families like ours carrying the whole burden.”
Somerset parents are petitioning the government to improve SEND provision and access to support, and say they may join today’s protest in London, though that is not yet confirmed. Tatjana says the aim is to “make our voices heard and push for a system that actually meets children’s needs.”
Council Response
Somerset Council acknowledges the pressures on SEND services, noting unprecedented demand: “In May 2025, Somerset Council has 6,052 children with an EHCP, more than double the number five years ago. We help more children with SEND while managing stretched finances.”
The council adds that each application for support is assessed individually and that travel assistance for Post-16 students is discretionary.
Nationally, the Department for Education pledges £740 million to create 10,000 new SEND places, aiming to improve inclusion in mainstream classrooms. A spokesperson says: “More children and young people will be supported to achieve and thrive in their local school, delivering on the Plan for Change.”
The parents’ petition and potential participation in the protest highlight growing concern among families that, despite these commitments, many children with SEND still face barriers to education and support.
But for parents like Georgina and Tatjana, promises mean little without urgent, practical change.
“It leaves families like ours carrying the whole burden” says Tatjana.
Georgina adds: “We are just left to it.”