SEND parents protest lack of education support

Parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities have called for more specialist school places and better support, saying the current system is failing their children.

Families gathered outside Leicestershire County Council offices to share experiences of their children being out of school for months, struggling to access support and waiting for specialist placements.

A Leicestershire County Council spokesperson said: “Demand for specialist education in Leicestershire has risen significantly, with the number of Education, Health and Care Plans increasing by 22.5% in just one year. A key challenge is that Government funding to create new specialist places has not kept pace with this rapidly growing demand. We recognise how difficult this is for children and families and are continuing to increase capacity.”

Reporters: Sam French, Ady Dayman