Waltham Forest parents protest lack of SEND school places, citing council failures and impact on children’s education.
Families contend the borough needs more school spaces as children remain out of school for months or even years. Councils, by law, are required to offer accessible services to all families in need of them for their children. Parents feel that their children deserve an education, but too many of them have “slipped through the cracks.” They voiced these concerns at a public protest last night, February 10th.
Claire Bithell identified under-commissioning as a significant problem, while also mentioning long wait times for occupational therapy. High staff turnover and difficult transport for children attending school were other issues she cited. She says support is lacking after diagnosis.
According to Claire, the council speaks of good strategies, but this campaign started in 2019. She states that paperwork ties parents up, preventing them from seeing real support for their kids. Claire also criticized how education plans were handled, as these plans outline classroom support for children. Keeping children home negatively impacts mental health, not just for the child, but for the entire family.
Kizzy Gardiner responded by asserting that she takes these concerns seriously, but explained that the town hall faces severe financial challenges. She explained to the crowd that costs are rising and that demand for both adult and children’s care has increased sharply.
Around 30 people attended the town hall protest, including children who are currently out of school. Representatives from various political parties were also present and many children held signs expressing their frustration with the situation.
Sheema Luca finally found a school for her son, who has ADHD, and she paid for his place after a stressful legal battle. Sheema also added that lawyers can be stressful, but believes people help each other. Similarly, another parent shared that while her child attends a school catering to visually impaired students, they face a shortage of places for disabled pupils.
The parent mentioned that she had dealt with four case officers recently, adding that she feels neglected by the council. “Where are the aspirations for our children?” was the question she posed to the crowd.
Gardiner responded to the comments by outlining that the council invested over £800,000 to bolster the SEND workforce and is confident that this investment should ensure a resilient service. She also stated that they engage with parent forums, with parents having a voice on their strategic board, claiming the council encourages open dialogue.
The council states that they want the best services for children and aim to support young people with SEND. Social care and housing costs are the largest financial burdens of this labour-run council.
Referencing the nationwide crisis, the council cited this when they closed a day center. Arran Angus countered, stating Labour can’t blame “Tory cuts.” He claims that too many families need to resort to legal action and stating the council fails to fulfill their respective duty, adding that children are losing vital educational support.