A powerful new national campaign is calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to safeguard the legal rights of children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) in England.
Cross-Party Coalition Sounds the Alarm
The campaign, named Save Our Children’s Rights, is backed by actor and campaigner Sally Phillips and a cross-party group of MPs from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and the Conservatives. It warns that the government’s forthcoming schools white paper could see vital legal protections for Send children diminished in a bid to manage costs.
The coalition, which includes the parent group Special Needs Jungle and the advice charity Ipsea, is delivering a petition with 130,000 signatures to Downing Street on Monday. A supporting video, featuring Phillips and other parents, carers, and children, directly tells the Prime Minister the current Send system is in crisis.
Fears Over Education, Health and Care Plans
Campaigners express specific concern that the legal agreements known as Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) could be undermined. These plans, which detail the extra support a child is legally entitled to, are seen as a cornerstone of the existing framework. The video claims the government is "considering taking our legal rights away" and suggests plans may include "removing" EHCPs.
Madeleine Cassidy, chief executive of Ipsea, stated: "Children and young people with Send need a system that works for them, underpinned by strong, enforceable legal rights... Weakening the Send legal framework would strip families of these protections, leaving many parents without recourse."
While The Guardian reported in October that EHCPs would be retained, fears persist that their scope could be narrowed and parents' right to appeal to tribunals removed.
Financial Pressures Drive Reform Agenda
The government’s push for reform comes against a backdrop of severe financial strain. Local authorities’ accumulated deficits in high-needs spending are projected to hit £14 billion by 2028. The number of EHCPs is also surging, having exceeded 639,000 last year, placing further pressure on council budgets.
The Department for Education (DfE) is investing £3 billion to create more Send places in mainstream schools. Proposed changes could see schools given a greater role in deciding support levels, dealing directly with parents rather than through local councils.
A DfE spokesperson said: "We have launched the biggest national conversation on Send in a generation, with plans being directly shaped by parents, the sector and experts... That engagement will drive reforms that protect what families value and fix what isn’t working."
The campaign’s video ends with a direct plea to Starmer: "Prime Minister, please I am begging you, save our rights." The outcome of the government’s consultation and the contents of the imminent white paper will now be closely watched by families across the country.
