Surrey SEND support services in crisis, MPs say

MPs have described special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services in Surrey as being in "crisis".

Conservatives Greg Stafford and Rebecca Paul and Liberal Democrat Al Pinkerton took part in a debate in Parliament on Tuesday.

Catherine McKinnell, minister for school standards, said improving the system was a priority for the government, but that it was a "huge challenge".

A spokesperson for Surrey County Council (SCC) said: "We welcome reform of the SEND system," adding: "Additional funding is needed urgently."

Surrey Heath MP Pinkerton said, since taking office last year, SEND had been "the single biggest issue" that people had emailed him about, including problems with education health and care plans (EHCPs).

"Right now, I have over 140 active cases involving children with special educational needs, many because SCC has issued EHCPs in the wrong name, describing the wrong condition and offering the wrong and inappropriate packages of support," he said.

"Over the past three years, Surrey has had the highest number of tribunal appeals anywhere in the country, a fact that, very unfortunately, they chose to hide from their own scrutiny committee for over 14 months, a fact that the leader of Surrey County Council denied in writing to Surrey's Lib Dem MPs."

The spokesperson for SCC responded: "We strongly refute any accusations that the council has hidden or misrepresented tribunal or complaints data. Surrey County Council is fully transparent in its reporting around complaints data."

Farnham and Bordon MP Stafford, who is vice chairman of the all party parliamentary group on SEND, said the system was "stretched to the point of failure, where vulnerable children are paying the price".

"In my first year as an MP, I've taken up 98 SEND cases, but I accept that's just the tip of the iceberg in my constituency," he said.

"That includes a family whose son's autism assessment is so delayed he'll finish school before he gets the help he needs, and another is spending over £10,000 on tribunal proceedings.

"This isn't a system, it's a fight, and families are losing."

Reigate MP Rebecca Paul, who is also a county councillor, said children were not getting the support they were entitled to and that services were in "crisis".

"Parents battling to secure much needed support for their child to thrive, yet facing incompetence and fundamental misunderstandings of the law by the council, carers forced to give up work to stay at home with their child whilst they languish without school provision, families driven to the brink of despair by the adversarial system - these issues must be addressed and fast, for the sake of our children and their loved ones," she said.

McKinnell said: "I think we have to be really careful to put it into the context of the huge challenge that we are currently facing and dealing with and the absolutely abysmal legacy on this.

"It was just put on the 'too difficult' pile for far too long."

Jonathan Hulley, SCC cabinet member for children, families and lifelong learning said: "Our investment in building new specialist school places is unprecedented – exceeding £200m – and delivering more than 250 new school places every autumn since 2021, with 4,560 specialist places available from this September.

"We're also seeking further investment from our cabinet to increase Surrey SEND case officer numbers from 81 to 111, and we're working hard to improve the quality of EHCPs, relationships and communication with families."

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