Abstract

In 2026 the number of children in England reported with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) exceeded 1.7 million, giving rise to concerns about the systems in place in schools to support these children that will allow them to thrive. With numbers of SEND children growing year on year it is critical that this issue be tackled. Although, the UK Government has recently announced their support for reforms in“The Schools White Paper 2026: Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Reform” and “Every Child Achieving and Thriving” publications, parents of SEND children in NE England feel that many mainstream schools are not implementing the necessary changes they require to support their child’s learning. The interim data used in this presentation forms part of a wider collaborative project with a locally-based CIO that aims to explore the current provision in schools in NE England for children with SEND, taken from the perspectives of their parents/guardians. Between March 2026 to present, this study has recruited 48 participants to complete an online survey with data collection currently ongoing. Qualitative data were analysed thematically and quantitative data were presented through descriptive statistics. Provisional findings explore:(i) needs of the children, (ii) school-home relationships, (iii) barriers to support, and (iv) recommendations for schools. Children with SEND have a wide range of diagnoses and needs, for which a one-size-fits-all approach is inappropriate. Communication was often poor between the school and home, with parents feeling misunderstood or ignored, and having to strongly advocate for their child. Children with SEND and their learning are suffering due to a lack of support from the school, lack of funding and resources, and importantly a lack of understanding of how children with SEND mask or appear ‘compliant’ which understates their needs. Key recommendations for SEND provision to date include teacher training on SEND needs and trauma-informed care, smaller class sizes, consistent specialist support staff, provision of locations/resources for improving self-regulation, more robust communication with parents and children and more support for transitions.