Special needs support a postcode lottery - parents

Rachel's four-year-old son Teddy has autism

Parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) fear a "postcode lottery" means they are missing out on vital support.

One charity used by parents in the High Peak area of Derbyshire has closed and a forum is also due to shut.

Derbyshire County Council has a programme to help children with educational needs but these parents say there are fewer services available for people living in rural areas.

One mother described the drop in support as "so disappointing".

Rachel's four-year-old son Teddy has autism and problems with speech.

She said: "I just think it is really, really sad how it is effectively a postcode lottery as to what support is available to you."

She believes larger towns and cities have better SEN provision and had even considered moving but is reluctant to because her family lives in the High Peak.

Hayley's five-year-old son Bay was born with a very rare genetic condition and had to have open heart surgery.

He has also had extensive surgery on his skull and has autism.

She used a charity called Carers Connecting and it provided activity sessions that were suitable for children with special needs.

But it could not keep going because there were not enough volunteers to help run it.

Hayley said she was disappointed by the plans

Hayley said the planned closure of the Derbyshire Parent Carer Voice forum had been a blow because it was a useful way of sharing information.

She added: "It is so disappointing as a parent to lose that contact you have with other parents.

"They know. They are on the inside of what it is like to be a parent carer; they understand and you just can't get that with other typical parents."

A Derbyshire County Council spokesperson said: "We are very sorry to hear parents in the High Peak feel left out of the support we offer across the county for children with special educational needs and this is certainly not the case."

The authority has what it calls a Local Offer programme that is split into different age categories to provide help for children with special needs.

It is working on how parents with SEN children communicate with it about the services it offers.

The spokesperson added: "We know how important it is for the SEN parent and carer community to have an effective way of communicating with us as well as with each other and we are looking at ways to improve how they can do that in this area of Derbyshire."