July 12, 2021, Leamington Courier: Parents and carers leave backpacks at steps of Shire Hall in Warwick as part of protest against "crisis in education" in Warwickshire https://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/news/people/parents-and-carers-leave-backpacks-at-steps-of-shire-hall-in-warwick-as-part-of-protest-against-crisis-in-education-in-warwickshire-3304714 W. Midlands
Angry parents and carers from across Warwickshire have left empty backpacks at the steps of Warwickshire County Council's Shire Hall headquarters in Warwick today as part of their campaign against what they have described as a "crisis" in the provision of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services in the county.
The protest, lead by the group SEND Crisis Warwickshire, has taken place while an Ofsted inspection for the services takes place this week.
The group has also sent a report to Ofsted to highlight its concerns.
Helen Adkins, a member of SEND Crisis Warwickshire, and, until recently, the leader of the Labour Group at WCC, said: "I know that officers at Warwickshire County Council (WCC) face difficulties with lack of resources from central government, but the Tory Leadership at WCC should be making more noise about the crisis schools and families are facing and should be asking for more money from central government….
"The county council's New Inclusion Programme is all about saving money, sadly at the expense of the safety and best interests of the most vulnerable children in Warwickshire….
And Warwickshire County Council has said it "welcomes the inspection".
Chief Executive for Warwickshire County Council, Monica Fogarty said: “In Warwickshire we have the highest aspirations for all our children and young people, including the almost 14,000 children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
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