Nearly two in five parents have been forced to educate their disabled child at home due to a lack of suitable provision or funding, a survey conducted by the disability charity Sense has revealed. According to the poll, a third (33%) of parents of disabled children have had to involve tribunals to secure funding for their child’s education.
The survey, which included 1,001 parents and guardians of disabled children under 18 in the UK, highlighted the challenges faced by families trying to access education, health, and care (EHC) plans for their children. The study found that 46% struggled to establish an EHC plan, while 45% encountered obstacles in having the plan implemented effectively.
Sense estimates that approximately 200,000 disabled children in England are experiencing difficulties in receiving the necessary support through an EHC plan. These plans are designed for children and young people up to 25 years old who require more assistance than what standard special educational needs support offers. They identify educational, health, and social needs and outline the additional support required to address them.
A significant 39% of parents indicated that they had to home-school their disabled child because of insufficient funding or appropriate educational options. The charity is urging the Government to outline an improvement strategy for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) in the upcoming Children’s Wellbeing Bill.
Sense’s Chief Executive, Richard Kramer, asserted that the current special educational needs system’s shortcomings are concerning. He emphasised that every child has the right to quality education and stated that it is unacceptable for hundreds of thousands of disabled children to be deprived of this fundamental entitlement.
The personal impact on families was also highlighted, with parents reporting significant emotional and financial burdens. Many parents have had to dip into their children’s savings to advocate for support or have had to abandon their careers due to unmet needs. The struggle to obtain an adequate EHC plan was described as a complex, drawn-out process that places immense strain on families.
One mother from London shared her experience of leaving her job to support her son with Developmental Language Disorder. She detailed the arduous process of obtaining assessments and evidence to secure necessary assistance, highlighting the emotional toll it took on her family. She described the EHC plan as ineffective and lacking essential provisions for her son’s needs.
Education leaders, including Paul Whiteman from the NAHT union, and Arooj Shah from the Local Government Association, acknowledged the crisis within the Send system and the challenges faced by parents in accessing support for their children. They called for concerted efforts to reform the system and provide sustainable solutions to meet children’s needs effectively.
In response, a Department for Education spokesperson acknowledged the shortcomings of the current system and pledged to enhance inclusivity within mainstream schools and special educational institutions. They stressed the ongoing commitment to ensure every child receives adequate support and emphasised the need for continuous improvement within the Send framework to secure a brighter future for all children.