Almost half of parents of children with disabilities struggle to find a school that meets their child's needs

Sky News

09-02-2025

"It breaks my heart," says a parent of a child with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).
But navigating the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system can be an overwhelming battle.
Tiya Currie, a mother from north London, knows this struggle all too well.
She has spent years fighting to secure the right educational support for her five-year-old son, Arun.
Arun has DLD, a lifelong language disorder that affects at least two children in every classroom.
"We were completely broken hearing this news. It was absolutely earth-shattering," she told Sky News.
Ms Currie added: "We had to very quickly accept his disorder and disability and focus on how to secure his future.
"It's really heartbreaking to see that he can't engage with everyone around him.
"It breaks my heart to see him go through that.
"He is my baby."
For Ms Currie, the process of securing an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) was exhausting.
"At every step, there were hurdles, obstacles, challenges. It was really, really difficult the whole way through," she explained.
After facing repeated dismissals from professionals, the family was forced to spend £16,000 on private assessments, reports, and legal support to prove Arun's needs.
Ms Currie said: "We were met with a lot of dismissive attitudes, just acknowledging something was wrong was a battle."
But beyond the financial and bureaucratic struggles, the emotional impact of DLD on Arun has been distressing.
"Arun becomes quite isolated. It can be so frustrating for him. This shatters his confidence completely," she said.
Arun has secured a place at a mainstream primary school with a specialist speech and language unit, but it's 13 miles away, and the local authority has yet to arrange transport.
Ms Currie is not alone.
Growing demand for special education
Many families of children with special needs say the system is broken and specialist schools are feeling the pressure too.
Ms Currie's local authority said it always works with families to try to resolve disputes despite stretched budgets and increasing demand.
It said: "It is also worth noting that we are seeing growing demand for special education provision, while costs increase, and budgets are stretched. The National Audit Office has warned that the system is financially 'unsustainable' and 'in urgent need of reform'."
It added that, in spite of "severe pressures on our services", it was one of a few local authorities to deliver 100% of their EHCP plans within the legal time limit of 20 weeks.
Kevin McDonnell, headteacher of Stormont House Special School, said: "Local authorities haven't had the power to open special schools, and it's been illegal for them to do so.
"They often get unfair blame, but I hope the new schools bill will help change this."
'Breaking point'
• 45% of parents of disabled children say they have struggled to find a school that meets their child's needs;
• 45% have had difficulties getting their EHCP delivered;
• 38% say their child must travel a long way to access the right support.
Harriet Edwards, head of policy, public affairs and research at Sense, said: "We've got evidence across the board that local authorities are not meeting their statutory obligations. Fifty per cent don't assess children in the timelines that are required.
"We need far more accountability for the areas of failing on that obligation to support disabled children.
"The emotional impact cannot be underestimated. Many of these families are at breaking point, battling for support on every front, social care, education, health.
"It shouldn't have to be this way."
The government has allocated £1bn for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) provision in the latest budget.
But many say funding alone won't fix the deep-rooted issues within the system.
Mr McDonnell said: "It will make a difference, but school budgets are already struggling.
"The funding for additional support hasn't kept pace with inflation or with our understanding of how these needs should be met."
A spokesperson for the Department for Education told Sky News: "Every child and young person deserves the best life chances, which is why we announced a significant £1bn investment into the SEND system and a further £740m for local authorities to create more specialist places where they are most needed.
"But in a system that is too skewed towards specialist provision and over-reliant on EHC plans, we know families are too often forced to fight to get the right support.
"We are determined to rebuild families' confidence in a system so many rely on. The reform families are crying out for will take time, but with a greater focus on mainstream provision and more early intervention, we will deliver the change that is so desperately needed."