Birmingham mother has 'no faith' in the SEND system
It follows the Governments announcement to get more parents involved in the SEND system
The government has announced a major public engagement programme aiming to transform the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system through the voices of parents, families, teachers, and experts.
Minister for School Standards, Georgia Gould, launched the campaign today in Bristol, marking the start of nine face-to-face events nationwide and five online sessions. The events are designed to explore key principles for reform and ensure that families and professionals can share their experiences directly with decision-makers.
The campaign is being run alongside the Council for Disabled Children and centres on five main themes: early intervention, local provision, fairness in schools' ability to meet varying needs, evidence-based practices for effective outcomes, and collaboration between education, health, and care services.
Participants will also engage with proposals, including offering families access to independent advocacy, creating national frameworks for SEND support, and introducing written records for children's support plans.
Georgia Gould said:
"For too long families have felt unheard and left to battle a system that simply doesn't deliver for their children.
"We're committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity for children with SEND, which is why we're putting lived experience at the heart of our reforms and creating a direct line to parents across the nation.
"We want this to be the biggest national conversation on SEND in a generation, and I urge parents, teachers and all those with views to participate and help us deliver lasting reform."
The events form part of a wider strategy to address long-standing issues in the SEND system and follow over 100 listening sessions previously undertaken with families. Extensive consultations are planned for after the publication of the Schools White Paper early next year.
Support programme for schools
In addition to these events, the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme, backed by £22m funding, is providing support to 2,850 mainstream primary schools. This initiative aims to deliver earlier interventions for neurodiverse children through staff training in autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and improved classroom inclusivity.
Data released today shows that 71% of school leaders participating in PINS feel better prepared to support neurodiverse pupils in their schools.
The government has already created 10,000 new school places for children with SEND and allocated £740m in capital funding. Other measures, such as early language support for 20,000 children and the rollout of Best Start Family Hubs from April, further demonstrate commitments to addressing SEND needs at both local and national levels.
Collaboration and ongoing reform discussions
A toolkit will be shared with schools and settings to engage communities on SEND reforms. Ministers are planning visits to schools to identify examples of best practices and gather feedback.
Amanda Allard, Director of the Council for Disabled Children, said:
"We're proud to support the government's engagement programme on the future of the SEND system. Every day, in our work across the country, we see the commitment to getting these reforms right for children and young people. At the same time, we hear understandable concerns about the risks if they fall short.
"We encourage parents and carers, teachers, therapists, and professionals from councils, the youth justice system, the NHS, and the voluntary sector to share their insights, challenges, and questions.
"We look forward to working in partnership with the government and the thousands of participants who take part, to ensure this engagement shapes a SEND system that delivers lasting improvements for children and families, and the professionals who support them."
The government has pledged to work closely with a development group of key stakeholders, including SEND parent groups, until the end of January to keep reform initiatives moving.
Local feedback
However, local parents have spoken out against the decision, with one parent saying she has "No faith" with the governments current SEND system.
We spoke with Emma, who is a mother from Birmingham and has three non-verbal autistic children about the proposed plans.
"I think the government launching this consultation is an absolutely brilliant idea. Everything I have read sounds really good."
"Do I think It's going to work? Do I think it's going to make a difference? Absolutely not!"
Emma =, who also works in a local SEND school continued, saying:
"I have no faith in the SEND system whatsoever."
"You have the Government making decision for our children, who have probably never even met a SEND child or been in a SEND school"
"We have enough to deal with without having to fight the government to get the children's basic needs met"