Aimee, who has three children with SEND, says there “simply isn’t enough provision” and that families are forced to go to tribunals to secure appropriate support “far too often”.
Tribunals take place when there are disputes between local authorities, which provide SEND support, and parents who believe their child isn’t getting the right help.
Families often have to pay their own fees for assessments, reports and representation, which can cost thousands.
Aimee won at her own tribunal, after challenging the council’s decision to place her son in a mainstream school, but said the experience was “incredibly hard”.
“The forms are difficult to navigate and the whole process adds emotional stress that doesn’t need to be there,” she said.
Now she says her son is “thriving”, and that finding the right placement was “life-changing for the whole family”.
A Hampshire County Council spokesperson said they did not comment on individual cases, but that they strive to deliver the best for children in the area, including those with SEND.
They said the “exponential” rise in demand for SEND support had made finding available and suitable placements “increasingly challenging”. This had led to a rise in tribunals, they said, adding that free and impartial support was available to those families.
“Locally, we’re doing all that we can to address challenges in the SEND system,” they said, adding that they were waiting for more details from the government’s White Paper on what changes will be coming to address the issues nationally.