Chris uncovers potential epidemic of avoidable SEND child suicide
I have been uncovering the agony and horror of the SEND scandal with The Times.
Every one of these children undoubtedly met the current legal criteria for an EHCP. Under the government's proposed plans, it is likely that they won't. While I welcome the proposed funding increase and focus on early intervention, everything the government wants to reform can be reformed without cutting children's rights. Potentially hundreds of SEND children are avoidably killing themselves due to public authority negligence.
It is a stain on the conscience of this country. We don’t even know how many because the government is not even recording the data. Instead of trying to cut children’s SEND rights, the government should be saving their lives.
Together with Measure what Matters, I have now published 1253 testimonies of nationwide council mismanagement on SEND across 134 different local authorities. I have sent these, alongside a letter to the Department for Education alongside a letter asking her not to cut legal protections for SEND children.
