Colchester mum says more SEND schools are needed after budget

Labour’s first Budget has allocated £1billion for SEND, out of a £2.3billion overall increase in core spending on schools.

Laura Wingar, from Colchester, is hoping to get her son Freddie, 12, into a special school in the city. 

Freddie has autism and ADHD and his mum fears he is  “extremely behind” with his education. 

Earlier this year it was revealed only one per cent of cases in Essex meet the legal 20-week limit for Education, Health and Care Plan. This is the worst in the country. 

Laura, 36, said: “The other problem is that the SEND schools are full.

“It’s great that it’s been recognised in the budget, but it is not going to cut it, as we have a huge shortage of SEND schools.

Wellbeing - Laura said her son Freddie's mental health was completely destroyed at his mainstream secondary school (Image: Submitted)

Laura said she felt abandoned in the year-long wait for Freddie’s plan which says he must have a timetable of one to one and small group work to catch up on lost educational progress.

She added: “I call children like Freddie, the inbetweener children - too severe for mainstream but not severe for SEND schools, and for them there is nothing.

Laura who has a toddler and older daughter doing her GCSEs, said: “Us SEND parents we have that label in society as ‘that parent’, as we get called by other parents, teachers, and other local authorities but that is what has made this happen.

“You have to be 'that parent' as no one else has to advocate for that child”

Essex County Council said that they have yet to receive detail from central government about the amount of funding being given to the council.

Multi Schools Council director Kierran Pearce started the Multi School council (MSC) in 2012 to help break down perceptions for children special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The council means children from mainstream and special secondary and primary schools can create plans to make a difference to their own education – further improving their social skills and confidence.

Kierran Pearce

Kierran said: 'As a director of a small organisation trying to create change within the education system, we welcome any investment into this space.

“We know working across different local authorities the challenges are not down to one local area, but they are national systematic problems. Funding is only positive if it's used in the correct way.

“We want to see more investment into actually listening to the voices of young people with SEND, only then can we really know if what we change works. Their voices are not an option but a must in any new SEND system plan.

“We will keep shouting about this and have a model ready to go and we would encourage others across the country to do the same.”