Dad on mission to raise awareness of SEND hurdles

Steve is raising awareness by running ultra marathons and skydiving

A father has embarked on a series of endurance challenges to raise awareness of the barriers faced by families with children in special education.

Steve's son Ethan was born in Berkshire with one kidney, and had developed learning difficulties by the age of six.

He was moved from mainstream education to The Unicorn School, a specialist school in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

But Steve said he had found himself locked in a two-year battle with the local authority to secure an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for Ethan.

Steve says he fought for years to get a special educational needs plan for his son

Steve said the school had made the world of difference to Ethan, who had been diagnosed with dyslexia, dyspraxia and was struggling to keep up with his friends.

“Unicorn creates an environment where children feel safe, supported, and given a real opportunity to succeed,” he said.

But Ethan's initial EHCP application was denied on the grounds that Ethan’s Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) were not severe enough.

The decision sparked a lengthy cycle of appeals, costing the family more than £25,000 in legal fees.

The EHCP plan was secured following two years after the family turned to HCB Solicitors for legal help.

"He's just sat his GCSEs and secured a place at Berkshire College of Agriculture,” Steve said.

Through a series of challenges, Steve has raised about £6,000 for The Unicorn School

Now on a mission to highlight the hurdles faced by families in similar positions, Steve has taken on a number of challenges to get people's attention.

So far, he has completed the Snowdonia Ultra Marathon, a 52km (32.3 mile) ultra marathon in Goring, and a skydive.

He has also tackled a gruelling 100km (62.1 mile) run and plans to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats, a 9-day journey covering 177 km (110 miles) each day.

Through the challenges, Steve has raised about £6,000 for The Unicorn School, with all costs of the events self-funded.

“Compared to the daily challenges Ethan and children like him endure, what I go through is nothing," he said.

"Children of all backgrounds, races, religions, and abilities should have an equal chance at education."