The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision crisis is a national emergency. During the Westminster Hall debate that I led at the end of February, I was struck by the all too familiar stories shared by colleagues of parents and children facing struggles across the country.
In my constituency of Suffolk Coastal, I’ve heard too many heartbreaking stories of failure, from parents desperate for a solution. Every story tells of children caught up in a system that is designed only to delay and frustrate, rather than to educate and support.
At the heart of this issue is a crisis in educational opportunity and social mobility. Every child, regardless of background or needs, deserves access to a quality education. If we fail to support children with SEND, we risk condemning an entire generation to inequality and social and economic disadvantage. When children miss out on education, we are creating an adult population left behind.
To fix SEND requires a long-term, national commitment. Improving our SEND provision should be as high a priority as rebuilding the NHS or addressing the housing crisis. While this begins with sustainable funding, it must go further; we need a comprehensive review of SEND to ensure it meets the current and future needs of children with special educational needs.
The scale of the crisis is staggering. According to the National Audit Office, the number of children with an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) has increased by 140% from 2015 to 2024, yet outcomes for children with SEND have remained stagnant since 2019. We cannot afford to let this trend continue. Without drastic action, the situation will worsen.
Rural areas like Suffolk Coastal face further challenges that policymakers in Whitehall have not failed to grasp or understand. Whether it’s understanding the shape and nature of rural poverty, service delivery challenges, transport barriers, or the sheer difficulty in accessing specialist support, new measures must understand the complexity of rural areas, and how different our challenges are to our urban neighbours.
The need of effective action cannot be overstated – in Suffolk, 60% of outstanding care plans for SEND children were not delivered within the statutory 20-week timeframe. This isn’t just a bureaucratic failing; it’s a sign the system is failing to meet children’s needs. A recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report highlighted “widespread and systemic failings” across Suffolk’s local area partnerships.
A recent survey I conducted in my constituency revealed further troubling results. More than 50% of children had missed school because their SEND needs couldn’t be met, and 13% had been out of school for over a year. Over 30% of families lacked an up-to-date EHCP, and one in ten had been waiting more than a year. Tragically, many families are forced to take their cases to tribunals, spending money they can’t afford just to get the support their children are entitled to. This is neither fair nor sustainable.
However, there is another aspect of this crisis that extends beyond education – and that is the effect on the mental health of families. Over half of the parents who responded to my survey reported that their mental health had worsened due to the battle for SEND support. The stress, anxiety, and financial strain on these families are overwhelming. This is a crisis often hidden from view, but it’s time we shine a spotlight on it.
The time for change is now. The SEND crisis is a national issue, and we must treat it as such. It requires urgent action, a thorough review of current provision, and a national conversation about how we can build a system that works for every child, regardless of their needs or where they live.
It’s time to stop letting children with SEND fall through the cracks. They deserve better, and our nation’s future depends on it.
It’s time to stop letting children with SEND fall through the cracks
