There are certain truths about the SEND system that rarely make it into official guidance, policy discussions, social media debates, or even conversations between professionals. Families are often told about procedures, timescales, reforms, consultations, and legal processes. They are given advice about what they should do next, what might happen in the future, and what changes may be coming. Yet very little is said about the reality that families live every single day while

Do you ever wonder when families like ours will stop having to fight for the most basic support our children need? For us, it feels like a battle that has lasted a lifetime. Our son, W, will be 13 this year, and for as long as we can remember, we've been advocating, chasing answers, attending appointments, completing forms, and explaining the same things over and over again. The exhausting part isn't just the fight itself. It's what that fight has done to him. After years of

There is a phrase I keep hearing at the moment. "Maybe it's worth waiting until we know what's happening with SEND reform." Or worse: "There's no point challenging it now because everything is going to change anyway." Every time I hear those words, my heart sinks. Because while adults debate policy, write reports, hold consultations, and discuss the future of SEND, there are children sitting in classrooms right now who are struggling. Children who wake up every morning with a

Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, reach their potential, and feel valued within their community. Yet achieving this goal is not the responsibility of one individual, one service, or one organisation alone. It requires all of us families, educators, health professionals, social care teams, community groups, and leaders to work together with a shared commitment to placing children at the heart of everything we do. Children grow and develop in different ways, and t

The Government's proposed reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system are being promoted as a bold step towards greater inclusion in education. Ministers argue that changes are needed to create a more sustainable system that better meets the needs of children and young people. However, for many families on the front line of the SEND crisis, the word inclusion is beginning to ring hollow. Parents, carers and campaigners across the country are raisin

Over the last few months, there has been growing discussion about proposed changes to the SEND system. Everywhere parents turn, there are headlines, rumours, consultations and political announcements. We are being told that change is coming, that the system may look very different in the future and that reform is on the horizon. For many families, that creates a huge sense of uncertainty. I have spoken to parents who are wondering whether they should still request an EHC need

I’m going to be honest, because sugar-coating this doesn’t help anyone anymore. The damage in the SEN world is already being done. This isn’t something that might happen in the future it is happening right now, to families, to children, and to young people who are already fighting just to be understood. And if you are in this world, you feel it. You don’t need statistics or reports. You live it every single day. The appeal process was never easy. It was always draining, stre

Across the SEND community, much of the current conversation is understandably centred on the government’s white paper, the recent consultation, and the uncertainty surrounding the reforms that may follow. Families, professionals, and advocates are bracing themselves for what could be significant structural changes. Yet while attention is fixed on what might happen in the future, quiet procedural shifts are already taking place within the SEND Tribunal system changes that are

The current climate leaves me feeling deeply unsafe. It’s not just the situation itself, but the overwhelming uncertainty surrounding it that amplifies my anxiety. Each day seems to bring new challenges and unexpected developments, creating an environment where stability feels like a distant memory. I feel powerless to influence or control anything within this tumultuous landscape, and that loss of control creates a constant sense of unease that’s hard to shake. It’s as if we

A question I find myself asking a lot recently is one that resonates deeply within the context of our ongoing struggles and advocacy efforts. This inquiry arises from a multitude of reasons, each intertwining with the challenges we face in our pursuit of Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs). The complexity of the situation is compounded by the fact that, despite our persistent efforts and the legal frameworks that are supposed to support these plans, it is increasingly evide