Key Points:
- Parents in Waltham Forest say the council is failing to provide sufficient SEND school placements.
- Many children are being home-schooled or left without education due to the shortage.
- Campaigners highlight delays in occupational therapy, high staff turnover, and inadequate transport provisions.
- Protest held outside town hall as Ofsted inspects the council’s care services.
- Parents criticise the handling of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
- Council cites financial pressures and rising demand for SEND support.
- Liberal Democrats and Socialist Workers Party representatives attended the protest.
- Families struggle with bureaucracy and legal battles to secure school placements.
- Waltham Forest Council claims to have invested £800,000 to strengthen SEND services.
Are Waltham Forest Families Being Failed on SEND School Placements?
WALTHAM FOREST, UK – Parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have accused Waltham Forest Council of failing to provide adequate school placements, leaving many children out of education for months or even years.
Why Are Parents Protesting?
A public demonstration was held outside the town hall on 10th February, coinciding with the latest Ofsted inspection of the council’s care services. Parents, campaigners, and political representatives gathered to demand urgent action.
Claire Bithell, a parent and campaigner, described the situation as a result of “under-commissioning, long waits for occupational therapy, high staff turnover, and awful transport provision.” She criticised the council’s lack of support, stating:
“There’s no help when you first get a diagnosis. You think if you wait for years and years and finally get diagnosed, there’d be any support – but it’s not there waiting.”
She added that despite discussions about improving services, families had been campaigning since 2019 with no meaningful progress.
How Are Families Affected?
Parents expressed frustration over the difficulties of securing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), which outline the support children need in the classroom. Bithell described the current approach as “diabolical,” saying it was causing significant distress to both children and families:
“Keeping children who’d rather go to school at home leads to everyone’s mental health fraying really quickly.”
Sheema Luca, whose 13-year-old son has ADHD, managed to find a fee-paying school placement after a stressful legal battle. She noted that many parents lack the resources or knowledge to take similar steps:
“Other people might not have the time, the energy, the inclination or the know-how to do that. To get a lawyer is quite stressful and it’s just exhausting. We’re the only ones who help each other.”
Another parent shared that her autistic child had been placed in a school for the visually impaired due to the lack of suitable placements. She criticised the council for failing to provide for academically capable disabled children, adding:
“Where are the aspirations for our children?”
What Is the Council’s Response?
Kizzy Gardiner, Waltham Forest Council’s cabinet member for young people, acknowledged parents’ concerns but pointed to financial pressures as a significant challenge. She cited rising costs and increased demand for adult social care and SEND support as major constraints.
Gardiner stated that the council had recently invested over £800,000 to strengthen SEND services, ensuring that they remain “resilient and effective.” She also highlighted the ongoing engagement with the SEND parent carer forum, saying:
“Through this, parents, carers and children have a voice and we encourage open and continuous dialogue between service users and the council.”
Despite recognising the challenges, Gardiner reiterated the council’s commitment to supporting SEND children and their families.
What Do Political Representatives Say?
The protest saw participation from local political groups, including the Liberal Democrats and the Socialist Workers Party. Arran Angus, chair of the Waltham Forest Liberal Democrats, criticised the Labour-run council’s approach, stating:
“Our Labour-run council used to get away with blaming ‘Tory cuts’ for a lack of resources, but that excuse no longer washes.”
He added that too many families have been forced to take legal action to obtain the support their children are entitled to, during which time they are left without vital educational provisions.
What Happens Next?
With the Ofsted inspection underway, parents and campaigners are hopeful that external scrutiny will push the council to take action. However, with financial strains and systemic issues still unresolved, many fear that SEND children in Waltham Forest will continue to be left behind.
Parents continue to demand urgent reforms, stating that every child “simply deserves an education.”
