County Durham SEND families calling for education system reform
There is a gathering happening in London later to demand change and make a difference to those impacted
Families across the North East and County Durham are backing calls for changes on how children are supported in the SEND system.
There is a rally happening in London today, where supporters are gathering to fight for ordinary things that other children take for granted.
Ella Bains, mum to three SEND kids and founder of the charity Eric Knows, said: "I firmly believe that when you remove the environmental barriers that stand in people's way, people thrive.
"It is not a diagnosis or a condition that disables someone, it is the environment and sometimes the people in that environment that disables someone.
"With the right facilities and the right funding, we are equipping them with the tools they need to navigate life.
"There are a lot of children, young people and families in a state of absolute crisis.
"Many are in the situation where they are struggling to even step foot through a school for instance and it's not a lack of trying on the school's part, often it is a lack of funding and a lack of people power.
"People are being lost in a system that is swamped and overwhelmed.
"People, young people and children are not being seen for who they really are and they're not gaining the right support packages."