Few issues generate more letters and emails to my constituency office than special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Back in March, I promised to bring together parents, carers and professionals from across Exmouth and Exeter East to discuss the challenges facing local families. That workshop has now taken place, and almost 400 individual points were raised. What stood out was not how different people's experiences were, but how remarkably similar they were.
The discussion around Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) was particularly revealing. Families were clear that, when an EHCP works as intended, it can be transformative. However, the current system is not working as it should. Assessments that should be completed within 20 weeks are often taking a year or more. Parents find themselves explaining their child's needs over and over again as caseworkers change. Appeals are successful in the overwhelming majority of cases, raising serious questions about the quality of decisions being made in the first place.
That is why the Government's proposal to replace most EHCPs with new Individual Support Plans, reserving EHCPs only for the most complex cases, has caused such concern locally. Nobody at the workshop argued against reform. What they wanted was reassurance that children would not lose the support they rely on and that any replacement plan would carry the same legal protections as the current system. Those assurances have yet to be given.
I also heard enormous appreciation for teaching assistants and Special Educational Needs Coordinators, many of whom go far beyond the call of duty. At the same time, there was a recognition that many mainstream schools simply do not have the resources or specialist training to meet every child's needs. Families spoke about the sharp drop in support post-16 with transport and services disappearing just as young people prepare for adulthood. Others described how early diagnosis can depend too much on which health visitor or GP a family happens to see.
Across every discussion, one message came through consistently. Before creating a new system, government must fully understand why the current one is not delivering for so many families. Parents want legal timescales that are met, a consistent caseworker who understands their child's circumstances, and decisions based on need rather than the financial pressures facing local authorities.
I will ensure the experiences shared at this workshop inform the conversations I have with ministers and continue to raise the concerns that families have shared with me. It is essential that families have confidence any reforms will not leave children without the support they need, and that any changes are judged by whether they improve outcomes in practice.
If you have experience of SEND in Exmouth and Exeter East, whether positive or negative, I would still like to hear from you. Following the positive feedback from our first session, I am pleased to say I will be holding a second session in Cranbrook. Further details will be announced shortly.
