Families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) in England are anxious that the government's upcoming overhaul of the system could make their situation worse, not better. Many parents report years of struggle to secure diagnoses, care plans, and appropriate school places for their children, and fear that changes could strip away existing support.
May Race, whose 12-year-old son Joseph is autistic with dyslexia and ADHD, says the current system has failed her son. Joseph rarely leaves his bedroom and no longer attends school. Race blames a lack of resources, flexibility, and understanding for worsening his condition. She says the system desperately needs reform but worries the white paper could make things worse.
More than 1.7 million children in England were classed as having special educational needs in 2024-25. Education minister Georgia Gould has said children with existing specialist places will not lose them, and that the aim is to give mainstream schools more resources to support Send children, reducing the need for education, health and care plans (EHCPs). However, many families rely on EHCPs as legally enforceable guarantees of support and fear any reduction could remove their safety nets.
The government will announce its plans on Monday, promising quicker access to appropriate school places and cost control. But parents like Race remain deeply concerned. Joseph's story, while extreme, reflects common struggles: delayed diagnoses, traumatic school experiences, and a system that seems powerless to help. The white paper is expected to address these issues, but families are waiting anxiously to see if reform will bring relief or further crisis.
