(UK) Derbs: 135% increase in SPED in 5 yrs; 115 students not getting support
- The end of childhood
- Nov 8
- 2 min read
Nov 4, 2025 Derby Telegraph: Emotive stories of 'failed' SEN children told through dozens of forlorn tiny shoes
The Derbyshire protest was one of dozens which were held around the country over special educational support
More than 100 pairs of shoes for tiny and teenage feet have formed an emotive protest outside a Derbyshire council HQ to highlight years of failure over special educational support. Letters attached to each of the 115 pairs of shoes displayed in a “silent protest” outside Derbyshire County Council’s Matlock headquarters at County Hall included many stories of vulnerable children who have missed out on months, terms and even several years of education.
The Matlock protest yesterday (Monday, November 3) was one of 70 displays organised by non-profit The SEND Sanctuary UK in a bid to turn around the fates of “every child failed by broken promises and endless red tape”.
In Derbyshire, the latest figures published by the authority in October show 8,778 children have an education, health and care plan (EHC Plan) which outlines their legal requirements for additional support in school, overseen by the county council.
This represents a 135 per cent increase since 2020, alongside a 30 per cent surge in EHC assessment requests since 2014 to 2,058 in the last year. Meanwhile, the council says only 35 per cent of EHC plans were issued on time in 2024.
Cllr Simon Mabbott, the county council’s new cabinet member for education as of October 20, was approached for comment but has not responded as of this article’s publication.
Campaigners said Cllr Mabbott had attended the protest and pledged to arrange a meeting to discuss their issues at length as soon as possible, which was welcomed. . . .
Ms Hanrahan said: “SEND is not fit for purpose, and it is not just Derbyshire, it is a national crisis, and I am not going to stop until I get change. I am not just doing it for my son but for every child.
“When we can’t look after the most vulnerable children in our society, what does that say about us? These children are our future, but we can’t invest in them having a better future.
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