(UK) Parents takes govt to court over SPED services

Dec 19, 2018, Independent: Parents to take government to High Court over special needs funding cuts https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/special-needs-cuts-high-court-government-children-parents-austerity-welfare-a8690796.html 'Funding policy is leaving thousands of pupils in limbo' A group of parents are taking the government to court over its lack of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) funding which they say leave “thousands of children across the country in limbo”. The families, who have formed the group SEND Family Action, have launched a High Court legal challenge against the government as they say children are not receiving the support they need. It comes after the Ofsted chief warned this month that the support for children with special educational needs is too “disjointed and inconsistent”. … Funding cuts to SEND are being challenged locally across the country – but this is believed to be the first time that parents have taken direct action against the government. In August this year, parents of children with special educational needs won a landmark case after taking Bristol City Council to the High Court over £5m cuts to the SEND budget. Last week the government announced a £350m funding package to support children with SEND - but parents and headteachers say much more still needs to be done to fix the “crisis” in funding. …