Lack of SEND support 'harming mental health'

Tora says her son's mental health has "deteriorated" without adequate special educational needs support

Parents and guardians in the South East are calling for the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system to be "overhauled", saying the current set-up is affecting their children's mental health.

Tora, from East Sussex, says the lack of support available for her son has caused his mental health to deteriorate "dramatically".

The Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin is due to hold a debate in Parliament on SEND services in the region saying he hopes to highlight some of the "systemic issues".

The government says it "inherited a SEND system left on its knees" and it is "looking at changes to improve support for children".

Tora's son has been rejected by 20 different special educational needs schools

Tora's 16-year-old son Mason has complex needs, including autism, type 1 diabetes and a severe learning disability.

She said Mason was asked to leave his special educational needs school in October last year, when they felt they could no longer meet his needs.

"He's lost all his confidence. At the beginning he wouldn't leave the house. His behaviour deteriorated as well. He was very challenging," Tora said.

Since then, Tora says they have applied for places at 20 different schools, all of which have rejected him, saying his needs are either not great enough or too great.

East Sussex County Council says it cannot comment on individual cases, but that it works with parents and carers "to find an education setting which can meet their individual needs".

In a statement it said: "As is the case nationally, the level of demand for specialist provision in East Sussex outstrips supply, this is despite there being much better availability of special school places in East Sussex than in many parts of the country."

The number of education health and care plans (EHCPs) issued in England - which allow children with SEND to access support - has increased by 140% between 2015 and 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Increased funding from government has been insufficient to meet demand, with an estimated £4.6bn deficit in council schools budgets across England expected next year, the National Audit Office says.

'Mentally, it was wearing him out'

Tommy, 13, has autism and other special educational needs. He spent three years in mainstream education in Kent before he was moved to a school for children with SEND.

His guardian, Denise, said while the mainstream school tried its best, it was unequipped to deal with Tommy's challenges, and it had a huge impact on his wellbeing and mental health.

"He'd be banging [his head] and not sleeping and screeching... mentally it was wearing him out," she says.

It took three years for a place to be found for Tommy at a special educational needs school in Kent

Tommy is now in a new independent specialist school for children with autism and wider SEND needs, and Denise says he is "much happier".

But she said she still had to fight for the council funding needed to secure him a place and she believes the whole system needs to be "overhauled", with the creation of more special schools for other children like Tommy.

Kent County Council has been approached for a comment.

The Tunbridge Wells MP, Mike Martin, is due to raise the issue in a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament on Tuesday, saying he hopes to highlight some of the "systemic issues" across the South East.

The government is reported to be planning to reform the SEND system in the Autumn.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "The evidence is clear that this government inherited a SEND system left on its knees – which is why we are looking at changes to improve support for children and stop parents having to fight for help.

"The education secretary has been clear that there will always be a legal right to additional support for children with SEND.

"This government is actively working with parents and experts on the solutions, including more early intervention to prevent needs from escalating and £740 million to encourage councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools."