Leeds parents and staff call for special needs provision 'overhaul'

Parents and school staff have called for a "radical overhaul" of special educational needs (SEND) provision and funding for children in Leeds.

The GMB union has said SEND support in Leeds, and across the country, was "in crisis" and families were suffering.

Ahead of a rally in the city later, mum Heather Jafar said the council must "really stand" with those affected.

A Department for Education spokesperson said the SEND system was being reformed "to deliver earlier intervention".

Ms Jafar, from Leeds, said her two daughters, Charlotte, 6, and Abigail, 11, were on the autism - or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - spectrum.

She said one of her daughters was being taught in mainstream school while they waited for a place in a school with full SEND provision for her other daughter.

"The government definitely needs to give more investment in SEND and stop making parents beg for help, and schools to that extent, too," she said.

"They need to invest in SEND children's futures, because I feel like they're totally being left to their own devices.

"For me, I think it will cost more as an adult to fund their needs from not getting them right when they were younger."

Ms Jafar said her previous experience with a mainstream school had been "a battle to negotiate the system and find the right support".

"Schools have struggled to understand as well. The system needs to be more simplified," she added.

James Wilton, SEND worker and GMB union representative, backed Ms Jafar's calls.

"I hear daily stories from GMB members who are beyond despair, working in unsafe environments for both children and staff," he said.

"They are consistently asked to take on more and more work for no pay and offered no opportunities in the future."

Special educational needs school staff were due to join parents for the planned rally outside Leeds Civic Hall on Wednesday.

SEND workers were then expected to take a formal deputation to the full council calling on the authority to sign a pledge for reform.

Labour councillor Jonathan Pryor, deputy leader of the authority and executive member for economy, culture and education, said the council's allocation for SEND education for the year was "just under £3m less than the formula says we need".

The government had "underfunded their education, capping the money they know that we need," Mr Pryor added.

"Families are left in limbo and schools are struggling to support them in the way they want to."

Mr Pryor said there had been an "unprecedented increase in demand", from Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) requests through to school place provision.

"This year we issued nearly three times the number of EHCPs than the previous year, but the system is under immense pressure."

Parents and school staff "have had enough", Mr Pryor said, adding that he "absolutely" supported their calls for more government funding.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We want all children to enjoy their childhood and reach their potential, which is why we are reforming the SEND system through our SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan to deliver earlier intervention and reduce bureaucracy."

So far 108 special free schools had been opened, including 15 since September, they added, "and we've launched our £70m Change Programme to test and refine our systemic reforms benefiting every region in England."

"This is alongside increased high needs funding for young people with complex needs, which will reach over £10.5bn in 2024-5 - an increase of more than 60% since 2019-20," the spokesperson said.

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