MPs concerned SEND school provision in 'crisis'

Six Surrey MPs have raised concerns the county’s provision for children with additional needs is in “crisis”.

The newly-elected Liberal Democrat MPs wrote to Surrey County Council’s leader addressing concerns about the issuing of education, health and care plans (EHCP), and the high level of complaints in the county.

One parent told BBC Radio Surrey that since her non-verbal autistic son started school in 2019, his educational life had been “very, very stressful”.

Tim Oliver, council leader, apologised to the families where provision “wasn’t working” and said the council was “working hard” to make sure children got the support they needed.

Rebecca Mills, from Merstham, said she had been told by the council in August that her nine-year-old son would no longer have a personal assistant on the bus it provides to get him to school.

She said: “He likes structure and he likes routine, and if anything changes on his route to school it gives him major anxiety.”

A personal assistant would reassure him if there was traffic or other disruptions on the route, with Ms Mills’ son communicating with them through typing, due to being non-verbal.

She has subsequently been told that the council is looking at other options and hoped to have an alternative provider in place, with a personal assistant, before the start of term on Tuesday.

Ms Mills added: “We’ve had a very stressful summer and lots of going back and forth with the council about this.”

Al Pinkerton, the Surrey Heath MP who was elected in May, claimed the county council was an “outlier” and he had spoken to parents who felt they were not being listened to by the council.

He added: “You have to remember, these are parents who have suffered and struggled for years.

“They are battling against a system that at every turn they feel is designed to thwart them making progress and to thwart their children getting into the school settings that they need to get in to.”

The MPs who signed the letter were Guildford’s Zoe Franklin, Dorking and Horley MP Chris Coghlan, Will Forster in Woking, Monica Harding in Esher and Walton, Helen Maguire in Epsom and Ewell and Mr Pinkerton.

Mr Oliver said there was a “national conversation” to be had about what was in the best interest for children with additional needs.

He said he had lobbied the previous government “heavily” and would continue to lobby the current government.

“I absolutely accept that this system is not right, we should not have complaints,” he added.

“What we should be doing, and are trying to do, is to put more investment into schools at an earlier stage, so not forcing parents to go down the EHCP route but actually provide that support when you need it.”

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