Essex Faces Challenges in SEN Parents Provision: What Parents Want MPs to Know
Essex has the worst record in England for assessing children’s Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP) within the statutory 20-week period. Parents of children with special educational needs (SEN Parents) have voiced their concerns and outlined their expectations from future MPs.
Parents’ Frustrations and Delays in EHCPs
Alexandra, from mid Essex, is a mother of a six-year-old son with autism. Her family waited seven months for an EHCP for George, who also requires speech and language support. Despite having the EHCP in place, Alexandra continues to face challenges. The EHCP includes speech and language therapy, but it hasn’t been provided, forcing the family to cover the nearly £70 cost themselves. Alexandra emphasizes the need for the government to support SEN provisions and hold providers accountable for their failures.
“When you have a child with SEN Parents, it becomes the center of your life,” she says. Last month, Essex County Council reported having 2,237 EHCPs awaiting assessment, with 26 families waiting over a year. The council has allocated an additional £2.9m to reduce these wait times by recruiting more staff and increasing support.
Calls for Accountability and Better Support
Helen Lincoln, Essex County Council’s executive director for children, families, and education, acknowledges the impact of delays and promises improvements. However, parents like Hannah, a trained teacher with three sons (two with special needs), stress that existing laws on SEN Parents provision need to be enforced, not changed. She calls for MPs to ensure local authorities fulfill their legal duties.
Hannah had to quit her teaching job because her eldest son couldn’t access school. She wants politicians to improve mental health support, access to activities for SEN Parents children, and better support for carers. She notes the rising cost of living has particularly impacted families with SEN children, citing the tripling of her family’s weekly shopping bills due to special dietary needs.
Increased Engagement and Political Expectations
Both Alexandra and Hannah have become highly engaged voters, driven by their experiences with the SEN system. Elizabeth, another mother from mid Essex with a 14-year-old neurodivergent son, highlights the need for accountability. She demands local authorities be held accountable for their poor performance, referencing Essex County Council’s 1% rate of processing EHCPs within the statutory timeframe.
Elizabeth also calls for more SEN schools, financial support for home-educated children, better access to NHS dentistry, and school dental visits. Rebecca, from Chelmsford, echoes these sentiments. Her four-year-old non-verbal son requires costly sensory equipment and special foods, further straining the family budget. She urges politicians to streamline paperwork and simplify processes for parents.
Political Parties’ Promises on SEN Provision
- Conservatives: Promise to transform education for SEN children by creating 60,000 more school places and 15 new free schools.
- Green Party: Pledges a £5bn fund for SEN provision in mainstream schools, ensuring all schools are fully accessible with specially trained teachers.
- Labour: Advocates a community-wide approach to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, ensuring special schools cater to those with complex needs.
- Liberal Democrats: Aim to end the postcode lottery in SEN provision by providing local authorities with extra funding and establishing a new National Body for SEN to support children with high needs.
- Reform UK: Has not yet responded with details of its plans for SEN provision.
Parents in Essex are looking for concrete actions and commitments from their MPs to ensure that SEN provisions are timely, effective, and supportive of their children’s needs.