(UK) Hertfordshire: 36K students in special ed; 127% increase in 6 yrs

April 6, 2022, HertsLive: The Hertfordshire mum striving to help other families get their children into SEND schools https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/news/hertfordshire-news/hertfordshire-mum-striving-helo-families-6895010

S. England A mum from Broxbourne has been working hard to help families with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) children after struggling herself four years ago. Corina Gander, has a daughter called Daisy, 4, who has down syndrome and a number of health conditions, she could never go to mainstream school. Children born with certain disabilities, neurological impairments and other conditions often cannot attend mainstream schools and instead, these children will attend SEND schools. SEND schools exist to provide these children with better opportunities and valid support for their needs. However, getting your child into a specialist school can be a lengthy and 'grueling' process, something which Corina has been through with Daisy. Corina says the process can be tricky and at the start she had very little guidance, but she is now using her experience to help others. In order for a child to get the necessary provision, there is a process that needs to be done. Children who have SEND conditions go through an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). This is a report written by parents and professionals which is then read by a panel to decide if the child requires specialist help. Once the council pass the report it's then about finding the right school. … Corina told HertsLive: "As a parent, I initially found in Hertfordshire that I really did struggle. I would have said two years ago I felt let down but that may have been due to the pandemic. “We should have been getting something from a special advisory teacher, I didn’t get that all, I felt I wasn’t really guided. I felt that from the day she was born, I felt I was let down quite massively by the county. “Initially I was going to move because there are many stories like that and I just felt I would have to find a county that is more suited. But that’s when I decided to set up my charity, I wrote to my MP and asked why this was happening? I asked why are so many parents feeling so unsupported." Corina says she wasn't the only one and Hertfordshire wasn't the only county that struggled with SEND places. Due to the number of children living with SEND, all specials schools are oversubscribed and the funding just isn't there to help people properly. Around 36,000 children and young people in Hertfordshire have an identified SEND need according to the latest SEND strategy from Hertfordshire Council Council. That's around 13.3 per cent of pupils in Hertfordshire schools. The number keeps rising year after year, in 2018/2019 there were 26,893 students with SEND and as of 2019/2020, there are 27,565. Since the reintroduction of SEND reforms in Hertfordshire in 2015, the county has seen rapid growth in the number of children with EHCPs - an increase of 127 pre cent between 2015 and 2021, that's around a 15 per cent increase year on year. However, even with these significant changes, overall, the proportion of children and young people aged 0-25 with EHCPs remains lower in Hertfordshire than neighbouring counties and England comparatively. Corina began the process of getting her daughter a place at a SEND school when she was two-years-old. Due to the lengthy process, Corina decided after her place was secured that she would help others through her charity, Daisy's 21 Wishes. She said: "I do have faith that good changes are coming. The good thing about things like this, speaking openly about this means people do take things on board…. Corina, who is now running for local councillor in Broxbourne not only helped families but on a wider scale, she was part of a monumental new bill that passed in the House of Lords on Friday (April 1). The Down Syndrome Bill is a piece of legislation to make provisions for meeting the needs of persons with Down syndrome; and for connected purposes. The bill has entered its final stages and is now awaiting Royal Assent so it can be passed into law. Corina attended the House of Lords on Friday to witness the bill being passed.

Corina with her daughter Daisy