Aylesbury MP presses for action to fix ‘broken’ SEND system

In a speech in the House of Commons, the Labour MP referred to a roundtable discussion she held at Queens Park Arts Centre last week with a group of constituents who have faced challenges and injustices working with the SEND system.

She raised their top concerns, including what she described as the difficulty in obtaining timely education, health and care plan assessments, the lack of staff or training in schools, and the lack of accountability in the system.

Kyrke-Smith concluded, “The fact is that the support system for children with special educational needs and disabilities is broken.

“The answer lies in both funding and reform of the system. We have to make tough choices on where to find that funding — tough choices that the previous Government ducked.

“Rather than political point scoring, we owe it to all the SEND children and their parents, carers and teachers to work together and do everything in our power to fix this system as quickly as possible.”

Labour has committed to a “community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. [Labour] will make sure admissions decisions account for the needs of communities and require all schools to co-operate with their local authority on school admissions, SEND inclusion, and place planning.”

The number of children and young people requiring SEN support in Buckinghamshire is below the national average, although it continues to rise and was up to 11.4 per cent in the 2023/24 the academic year.

Watch Laura Kyrke-Smith MP’s full speech here: youtu.be/-VTH6dH_RKw?si=uMH4MKUh9zfv1xeX.