SEND services still 'in absolute crisis', mum says

Emma Taylor said her son has been on a waiting list to get an assessment for nearly three years

Oxfordshire's services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) remain in "absolute crisis", a mother has said.

An Ofsted inspection in September 2023 found few children who needed SEND services got their needs met, with many waiting years for help, leaving families with a "tangible sense of helplessness".

Emma Taylor, from Henley-on-Thames, said she has been on a waiting list to get an assessment for diagnosis for her 10-year-old son for nearly three years.

An Oxfordshire County Council spokesperson said it has invested £1m since 2023 to support SEND services.

One parents' group said improvement across Oxfordshire was not apparent

But Ms Taylor said navigating the system has been so stressful she has considered moving out of Oxfordshire.

"[The county's SEND system] is in absolute crisis. I know that the council deny that but it is and if they were listening to parents they would know that it is," she said.

"I don't know a single parent of a child with special educational needs who is happy with their provision or feels supported. We are joining forces on WhatsApp groups and supporting each other and everybody is struggling.

"We're being failed and our children are being failed."

Dr Claire Brenner, from the Oxfordshire SEND Parent Action group, said: "I think the key message is that on the ground, parents aren't feeling like anything is improving.

"If anything, things are getting worse and it feels like there's an increasing mismatch between the council's narrative, which is they are doing things to make improvements - but the improvements aren't having an impact..."

The spokesperson said the council was "delivering a programme of new and expanded special schools, aimed at providing additional SEND capacity closer to where pupils live".

They said Bloxham Grove Academy opened near Banbury in early 2024 and another school should be built in Faringdon in 2026 or 2027.

Another two could be built in Didcot by 2028.

"These four new schools, along with a programme of expansions planned at existing schools, will add over 600 special school places between 2023 and 2028," they added.

"We are also working to increase specialist provision within mainstream schools and promote fully inclusive education."