Teaching support staff across Kent are demonstrating today for clearer job descriptions.
The National Education Union say that Specialist Teaching & Learning Service staff have not had clarity since September 2025.
A demonstration, coinciding with strike action, is taking place from 8 am to 10 am this morning, at County Hall, Maidstone.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) employed within Kent County Council’s Specialist Teaching and Learning Service (STLS) are set to continue their strike action, following unresolved disputes over changes to service and staff conditions.
SEU members previously voted overwhelmingly for the strikes, demanding proper consultation after roles were transitioned back in-house by the council in September 2025.
During this transition, NEU Kent Secretary Jamie Pout says little clarity was provided on what the role of STLS now entailed:
"Lots of them were teachers for many many years, and they now provide support advice to their colleagues in state schools across Kent, on how best to include some of the most vulnerable learners of Kent with special educational needs and disabilities.
"And so the job they do is vital. They used to go into schools and observe children one to one. They would then give advice to schools, SENCOs, and teachers on how best to include those students.
"It was a service that was running running perfectly well. Lots and lots of families and children valued it. Huge numbers of schools supported it.
"We've asked time and time again, 'can you provide them with something very basic like a job description of what they should be doing day in day out'? KCC can't do that, and that's left us in this dispute.
"We're not asking for more pay, we're not asking for, you know, the world. We're asking for a job description that tells staff when they go to work today, when they go to work tomorrow, what is it they should do? KCC can't provide that"
He added that teachers in mainstream schools were also getting increasingly frustrated, as the support STLS are able to provide in the classroom remains uncertain.
Now, NEU members are calling for Kent County Council to consult on transfers, update job descriptions, offer voluntary redundancy, and explore redeployment options.
Nick Childs, NEU Senior Industrial Organiser, stated:
“Kent County Council’s failings are clear and the remedy remains obvious. There is a distinct sense of déjà vu as this dispute remains unresolved. Meetings between trade unions and the employer have been too infrequent since this dispute started. The employer is yet to offer staff a meaningful consultation, have not recognised the substantial changes to jobs in their job descriptions, and have failed to support with redeployment. These asks remain entirely reasonable, yet still the council have failed to offer any of this, fundamentally failing in its obligations as an employer.”
“We call on KCC to engage in meaningful negotiations to resolve this dispute, by fully reinstating and deploying this essential service, making full use of the skills, knowledge, and experience of this highly trained team.”
The NEU remains open to mediated talks via ACAS if necessary.
Kent County Council were asked for comment.