Parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Kingston and Richmond, South London, staged a protest on November 3, 2023, to highlight severe shortcomings in the educational support system. They expressed frustration over the lack of specialist placements and inadequate support services that have forced many children to miss school for extended periods, in some cases for years.
The demonstration, titled “Every Pair Tells a Story,” was organized by SEND Sanctuary UK. Participants lined up pairs of shoes outside council headquarters, symbolizing the thousands of children they believe have been failed by the SEND system. Many children are left without school placements, placed on part-time schedules, or waiting indefinitely for essential support.
Families gathered outside the Kingston Council headquarters, voicing their struggles with the current educational framework. The councils deliver SEND services through Achieving for Children (AfC), which parents claim has faced persistent challenges in fulfilling its legal responsibilities.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), parents reported that their children are often placed in mainstream schools that do not meet their needs. They highlighted funding cuts and lengthy waiting times—sometimes spanning months to years—for education, health, and care plans (EHCPs) that are supposed to outline necessary support. The ongoing crisis in SEND provision is reportedly impacting children’s mental health, with some experiencing severe anxiety and depression.
One mother, Georgie Cook, shared her experience of her 12-year-old daughter missing more than a year of school due to an inadequate EHCP. Georgie indicated that her daughter might have to wait another 18 months to two years for a suitable specialist placement. “She’s missing out on vital education and that’s just my story,” the 33-year-old Kingston resident emphasized. “There are so many other kids who have got stories that are very similar.”
The number of children and young people with an EHCP in Kingston and Richmond has surged to over 4,000, a nearly 50 percent increase since 2019, according to SEND Sanctuary. Georgie pointed out the critical shortage of spaces and funding, stating, “There’s just not enough spaces, there’s not enough funding… it leads to a lot of mental health issues.”
Messages attached to the shoes at the protest poignantly articulated the struggles faced by affected children. One note described a 14-year-old boy who had been unable to attend school for four years and was left unable to communicate his needs due to anxiety and trauma. Another message conveyed the deep frustration of parents battling for assessments and services, stating, “The local authority built barriers instead of support.”
Families in Kingston and Richmond reported waiting more than 30 weeks for EHCP assessments, which exceeds the legal timeframe of 20 weeks. Complaints about delays and failures to communicate decisions have been upheld by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, highlighting systemic issues.
Parents called for local authorities and the government to genuinely listen to their concerns, especially as the government plans a major overhaul of the SEND system. “We are forced to fight and speak up, and all we want is for our kids to be heard and to be counted,” Georgie stated.
Founder of SEND Sanctuary, Aimee Bradley, emphasized that “no child should be left behind because the system decided their needs were too complex or too inconvenient.” She urged the government to acknowledge that parents are part of the solution, not the problem, and demanded real change for their children.
In response to the protests, Kingston and Richmond councils expressed their commitment to ensuring every child receives the education they need. They acknowledged that the issues raised by parents reflect a national crisis. A joint statement from the councils mentioned their efforts through the local SEND Partnership Board to improve inclusion in mainstream classrooms, increase local school placements, and enhance the timeliness of EHCPs.
However, the councils also recognized the challenges posed by an inadequate national funding model, which they believe must be addressed in upcoming reforms expected in 2026.
A spokesperson for the Department for Education acknowledged the difficulties within the SEND system and stated that the government is determined to implement improvements. They noted that over 100 listening sessions with families have already taken place, with plans for ongoing engagement to ensure better outcomes for every child.
The protest in Kingston and Richmond highlights a critical moment in the ongoing struggle for adequate educational support for children with SEND, as families demand immediate action to rectify a system that many believe has failed them.
