(UK) SE Region: "Critical shortage of specialist Send places for young children"
- The end of childhood
- Dec 8
- 2 min read
Nov 25, 2025, BBC News: Navigating Send provision is 'tough', say parents
Parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) have described how securing school places has been "like a full-time job".
"It's been a very long road and it's just really hard navigating it all," said Chloe Westbrook, whose son Frank started reception class at St Piers School in Lingfield, Surrey, in September.
The school opened a new reception class because of what it said was a critical shortage of specialist Send places for young children.
The government said it was "already making progress" with increasing Send provision although reforms have been delayed to next year.
Places gap
St Piers opened its reception class a year ago after previously only admitting children aged five and above from across Surrey and the wider South East region.
The school, which offers 12 places in reception in addition to 80 places in its primary school, is oversubscribed.
Head of admissions Sue Etheridge said: "We were seeing too many four-year-olds being placed in mainstream schools that simply couldn't meet their needs. We knew we had to act."
Ms Etheridge believes many younger children with Send had missed their first year of school or spent a year in a school that couldn't really meet their needs. . . .
Many SEND children can receive an education health and care plan (EHCP) if they need more support than is available through special educational needs support.
The total number of EHCPs has increased each year since their introduction in 2014.
The UK government reported in June 2025 that the number of EHCPs increased to 638,700 in January 2025, 10.8% higher than in January 2024.
The number of requests for EHCP assessments, has also increased, with 154,500 received in 2024,
Support lacking
Ms Etheridge believes there is a need for a national commitment to expanding specialist provision.
"Our new places have made a difference, but they barely scratch the surface of what's needed," she said.
"We're already taking applications for 2026 and 2027, which shows how far ahead families have to plan. . . .
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