Parents across the UK are increasingly protesting to spotlight a growing crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision, amid concerns that current systems are failing vulnerable children and their families. A damning report by MPs has labelled the provision for pupils with SEND as “broken, long past needing repair, and chronically letting down children.” This warning underscores a nationwide struggle faced by families and educators to secure adequate support, as more children are being identified with special needs in schools.

The House of Commons Education Committee report highlights that the number of pupils recognised with SEND has surged from 1.3 million in 2014 to 1.7 million. Of these, nearly half a million have education, health and care (EHC) plans, which legally entitle them to specific support. However, these plans have become a source of frustration for many parents who describe enduring long waits and systemic barriers to securing basic support. The committee heard poignant accounts from “exhausted parents” battling an overwhelmed system and teachers stretched beyond capacity in an education environment “buckling under pressure.” The MPs assert that the current system is unsustainable, placing overwhelming strain on educational and health services and urging a radical overhaul. They call for SEND to be embedded as a natural part of mainstream education, reducing dependency on costly EHC plans, while advocating for enhanced teacher training and stronger collaboration between health and education sectors.

This national backdrop of systemic strain is mirrored in localized protests across the country. In London, parents staged demonstrations over multiple concerns, including the planned closure of specialist provisions and cuts to critical support services. In Hillingdon, despite a public consultation revealing 96% opposition, the council moved forward with closing Coteford Infant School's Specialist Resource Provision for physically disabled children, sparking protests that emphasised the marginalisation of disabled students and broader disability rights issues. Similarly, in Islington, parents protested staffing cuts to deaf provisions at Laycock Primary School, warning of the devastating impact on 64 deaf children whose education would be compromised by reduced specialised support.

Funding cuts have also ignited anger in boroughs like Havering, where parents demonstrated outside the town hall against proposed reductions to SEND services. These proposals include changes to transportation arrangements for children attending specialist schools, further heightening concerns about the adequacy of SEND support. Elsewhere, in Bury St Edmunds (Suffolk) and Essex, parents gathered to protest the long delays experienced in obtaining EHC plans, with wait times averaging nearly nine months. The frustration of these families was echoed in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, where more than 40 parents demanded better communication and respect from the local SEND authority, underlining a widespread perception of neglect and systemic failure.

The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, is set to announce significant reforms aimed at moving away from the heavy reliance on EHC plans. The government’s intention is to provide special needs education by default within mainstream classrooms, potentially making SEND support more accessible as part of everyday schooling. While the cross-party committee supports the principle of integrating special needs education into mainstream provision, it stresses the need for increased specialist school places and improved resources to achieve this. Autism remains the most common need identified, cited in one-third of EHC plans. Post-pandemic, there has also been a noticeable rise in speech, language, communication, and mental health needs among pupils, adding further complexity to service demands.

As these debates and protests illustrate, parents and educators alike are calling for urgent, comprehensive action to rectify entrenched deficiencies in SEND provision. The challenge remains to ensure that reforms translate into meaningful improvements on the ground, providing equitable, timely, and effective support for all children with special educational needs.

📌 Reference Map:

Source: Noah Wire Services