(UK) Peterborough: Parents protest SPED kids being 'illegally excluded' from school

May 30, 2019, Peterborough Today: Mum's despair as Peterborough protesters demand action over ‘crisis’ for children with special educational needs https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/education/mum-s-despair-as-peterborough-protesters-demand-action-over-crisis-for-children-with-special-educational-needs-1-8945955 Parents are protesting in the city centre this lunchtime as they demand action over the "crisis" in support for children with special educational needs. As part of a national day of action, campaigners met outside the Town Hall in Bridge Street at 11am calling for an “end the national crisis in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) funding and delivery”. The campaign is being led by SEND National Crisis which claims there have been cuts to school and college funding and that more disabled children have been “illegally excluded”. One protester was Ann-Marie McDonall from Bretton who has four children - three of whom have autism. … "The school has so many children so it makes it hard for them, but I honestly feel she has been failed. "I'm very stressed and can't plan to do anything. It's very exhausting and taking a toll on my health. … Peterborough co-ordinator Nazreen Bibi said: "I'm really frustrated and angry at the lack of funding for special educational needs, and I just think it's totally illegal and wrong for children to be excluded from school and deprived from the education that they need. … Children and families minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “In December we provided an extra £250 million up to 2020 to help manage these costs. “This takes the total amount that we have allocated for high needs funding to £6.3 billion this year, compared to £5 billion in 2013.”… “We do everything we can to support SEND pupils. Here in Peterborough we have made the decision not to cut services, despite growing demand and no increase in the funding we receive for many years.” Beccy Forrow, senior campaigns adviser at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Make no mistake, the special educational needs system is in complete crisis. It’s heartbreaking that families in Peterborough have to march in the streets, but they refuse to stand by and watch as their children’s futures are sacrificed….