Names of children 'failed' by council displayed outside Guildhall as part of SEND action group protest

An action group has said West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) failings over special needs issues in the county have put “parents and children in crisis”.

They addressed the chamber in Thursday’s (March 21) full council meeting to speak out about the treatment of special educational needs and disability (SEND) children and ask for councillors to back a “dramatic culture shift” to put young people first.

West Northants SEND Action Group staged a peaceful demonstration outside the council offices earlier that day. Two whiteboards full of the names of SEND children “failed” by the council stood in front of WNC’s offices at One Angel Square throughout the day, however the group found they had been turned around to face a wall on collection.

WNC said that it recognises the shortfall in provision for SEND services, but that it is working extremely hard to rectify this and incorporate solutions.

Co-founder of the group, Lauren Bunting, addressed the council chamber during public questions.

She told the council: “Parents and children [are] in crisis, children out of education for years at a time and pleas for help ignored, or worse, met with safeguarding allegations, parent blame or fines for not attending school.

“We have a SEND strategy that contains no real strategy and isn’t being followed anyway. That’s WNC choosing to leave a child at home or in an unsuitable school for a year, deeming them undeserving of education.”

Ms Bunting shared her own experience with her seven-year-old daughter who was never able to start school due to a lack of provisions in the county. She recalled having to threaten legal action and fight for the council to make changes to her child’s education, health and care plan (EHCP) through lengthy tribunals and annual reviews.

Recent statistics from the council highlight worrying issues with the service, indicating that just 5.6 percent of EHCP requests were completed within the 20-week statutory time frame in the final three months of last year.

West Northants is also experiencing significant pressures as increases in requests for EHCPs are going up. More than 3,500 young people currently have a plan. The council cites a national shortage of educational psychologists and delays in receiving professional advice as the main reasons that requests cannot be completed on time.

Ms Bunting added: “Today we appeal to you to stand up for some of the most vulnerable children in West Northants.

“Some of you know how deep this crisis is and yet do nothing, complicit in your silence. Some of you show care and concern, but perhaps have not fully grasped the extent and severity of this very complex issue.

“We ask you to do more- to learn the reality of what is happening to local disabled children, accept that it’s not all about funding, it’s not all due to a national crisis and that a new special school isn’t going to fix everything.

“Challenge the poor excuses given by officers and cabinet members and not just accept that every new scheme or strategy put forward is a miracle solution.

“We ask you to do what you were elected to do- to represent the people of West Northants, even when they don’t have a voice and even when it isn’t easy.”

Councillor Fiona Baker, Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Skills and Education at WNC said: “As a council and as a partnership we have been open in recognising the challenges we face in terms of a significant shortfall of provision for SEND places across West Northants and overdue education, health and care needs assessments and the impact this is having on our children, young people and their families.

“We know the partnership has not delivered the services it should, and we are working extremely hard to put in solutions for this, including our plans to create an additional 600 places for children and young people with SEND by Autumn 2025 which we are on track to complete.

“We know this isn’t an instant solution and it will take time to embed, however these issues are unfortunately not a quick fix and are challenges being felt by local authorities across the country.

“We have also invested and continue to do so, in additional resources, such as additional EPs to address our timeliness, but we have been open that this will take time to address the issues which we have in ensuring children with SEN receive the best support possible and in a timely manner. We know we are not there yet, but we are doing all we can to improve this.”

The council has just welcomed Ofsted for a two-week inspection of its SEND services, which ended on Friday, March 22. The result of the inspection is due to be published by Ofsted and CQC later this spring.

WNC says it will use learning from its findings to continue to improve its services.