SEND support has failed children and families – it must be fixed

In every canvassing session and advice surgery I conduct, I invariably meet families struggling to secure the right support for their child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

These families are often frustrated, exhausted, and angry—or all of the above—facing a system that seems to actively work against them.

This week, I was deeply dismayed, though not surprised, to learn that a council watchdog has placed Conservative led Derbyshire County Council under scrutiny due to ongoing failures in supporting children with SEND. The watchdog’s decision follows a troubling series of complaints from families who have been let down by the system.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has recently upheld several new complaints against the council, highlighting its continued inability to meet the needs of SEND children. In just seven cases, the county council has been ordered to pay over £14,000 in compensation, with one family receiving £6,050 alone. These payouts are just the latest in a long line of settlements. Between November 2023 and June 2024 Derbyshire County Council paid nearly £350,000 in compensation to families whose children were failed by the county council’s SEND services. 

This is shameful. For far too long, the education and care systems have neglected the needs of children with SEND, leaving parents and carers to fight for the support their children rightfully deserve. 

I am therefore pleased that our new Government is determined to fix this broken system. Our ambition is to ensure that all children receive the necessary support to thrive in their education and transition into adulthood. We will make this vision a reality by focusing on inclusivity, improving expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring that special schools meet the needs of children with the most complex challenges. 

We will also be improving coordination between schools, local authorities, and families and reform Ofsted inspections to focus more on inclusion, holding schools accountable for the support they provide to SEND pupils. 

Ending years of failure will not be easy but I am determined to continue working with local families to put pressure on Derbyshire County Council to provide the support their children desperately need.