Parents demand special needs improvements

Parents and campaigners from Worcester travelled to Parliament to talk to MPs

Parents and campaigners have visited Parliament to call for improvements to be made to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services in Worcestershire.

Tracy Winchester, a mother of two children with learning difficulties from Bromsgrove and chair of the North Worcestershire Parents with Autism Group, said a different approach needed to be applied to ensure a better outcome for children.

"SEND provisions have got way worse since failing inspections back in 2018 and nothing changes, we only get changes of faces at Worcestershire County Council," she said.

The BBC has approached the county council for comment.

Ms Winchester said: "Children are out of school, and people aren't getting their children's needs met, and there's going to be a lost generation."

Five of the county's six MPs met with parents and campaigners on Wednesday.

Chris Bloore, MP for Redditch, said he sympathised with those who came down to demand more for children across the county.

"Today shows you the importance that all MPs in the county show towards this matter, we're recognising the institutional and strategic failures that we have in SEND provision in Worcestershire.

"Let's remind ourselves that parents shouldn't have to be traveling down to London to get the attention of MPs, to get the attention of Worcestershire County Council, to improve the reports and the quality of provision," Mr Bloore said.

Tom Collins, the MP for Worcester, said parents had brutally described the issues they faced.

"I think the biggest issue is a lack of trust, that trust has been lost in the system, and people don't feel that their children are being cared for the way they need to be."

Parents Susan Tracey and Dawn Style joined the meeting

Parent Susan Tracey said she left the meeting feeling heard and somewhat optimistic.

"I felt they all listened to us so whatever the outcome will be we will have to wait and see," Ms Tracey said.

Dawn Style, whose 21-year-old daughter has relied on SEND services since she was three, said she had not received the full support needed.

"She is behind functioning by 13 years so she can't independently read and write, which has a massive impact.

"How can she move into adult life without those basic skills?

"We are taking our children out of education, not because we want to but we're doing it because we are keeping trying to keep our children alive," Ms Style said.