Chesterfield MP meets with SEND families over “appalling struggle and fight” for education

Toby Perkins has organised two roundtable meetings with families of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across Chesterfield to better understand their fight for education.

He said: “I am very grateful to everyone who attended the two SEND roundtables that I set up to hear from Chesterfield SEND families and professionals.

“The meetings were incredibly positive and enthusiastic, whilst reflecting the appalling struggle and fight that many SEND families have to go through to get the support their children need.

"The experiences shared were thoughtful, constructive and, at times, deeply concerning.”

“There have been particular problems in Derbyshire, with Derbyshire County Council receiving a damning report from Ofsted in 2024 because of serious failings in SEND provision, and statistics provided showing that those delays are particularly acute in the County preventing children getting the support they need.

"But there are also wider problems across the country and it is clear that the current SEND system does not work and needs reforming.”

The meetings come amid a SEND crisis, which has been affecting children across Chesterfield and Derbyshire for years.

In a report published in September 2024, Ofsted slammed Derbyshire County Council’s SEND department for “systemic failings” in special needs provision raising “significant concerns”.

The council claims that changes have been in implemented since the report was published.

The national framework states that local authorities should complete Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) for children within 20 weeks – but between April and December 2025 children with special educational needs across Derbyshire still waited for an average of 37 weeks.

Additionally, dozens of children are stuck at home despite receiving their EHCPs while they are waiting for a space to become available at one of oversubscribed specialist schools, with many asked to attend mainstream settings.

Recently, the Government has published a White Education Paper promising to reform the SEND system.

But many parents have criticised the proposals, which suggest that more funds should be invested to make mainstream setting “more inclusive”.

A number of peaceful protests were held across the country on Saturday, May 9, including in Derby – with parents voicing their concerns that putting children with complex needs in mainstream schools would cause more harm than current system.

While Mr Perkins recognised that SEND reforms were needed and could bring about a positive change, he acknowledged parents raising “understandable concern” about the proposals.

Following the meetings, he posed a series of questions and clarifications to the Government’s SEND Reform Consultation which reflect the experiences shared locally.

He said: “I have submitted the evidence heard about the huge opportunities that this new approach could provide if done correctly.

“The King’s Speech confirmed that the Government will bring forward an “Education for All” Bill to introduce major reforms to the SEND system.

"The Government says the reforms will focus on earlier intervention, more inclusive mainstream education, improved access to specialist support, and greater consistency for families across the country.

"Proposals also include the new “Experts at Hand” model, bringing services such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists closer to schools and nurseries.

“The submission I sent on behalf of parents has raised a number of practical questions around how the reforms will work in reality, including whether there will be better links between diagnosis and support, greater flexibility between mainstream and specialist provision, and improved training and staffing within schools.

"Parents also highlighted the importance of early intervention, support for children in private nursery settings, and the need to review admissions and funding arrangements to ensure SEND children are properly prioritised, things which are already central to the proposals from the Government.

“There was also strong support for ideas such as earlier use of BSL and Makaton in schools, and for more consistent access to specialist services through the proposed “Experts at Hand” model.”

He added: "I will continue pressing the Government to ensure these reforms genuinely improve outcomes for children and families in Chesterfield and across Derbyshire.”

Derbyshire County Council responded to Chesterfield MP’s comments, highlighting that the SEND system has reached a point where reform was “unavoidable”.

Reform UK Councillor Simon Mabbott, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for SEND and Education, said: “We recognise the strength of feeling being expressed nationally and locally about the SEND system, and we agree that reform is needed.

“There is widespread evidence that the current system is under significant strain, with rising demand, long waiting times and inconsistent experiences for families across the country.

“In Derbyshire, we have been clear and open about the challenges we have faced.

"The 2024 Ofsted and CQC inspection identified serious weaknesses and we accepted those findings in full, apologised to families, and are working at pace with our partners in health to address them through a comprehensive improvement programme overseen by an independent chair and subject to external scrutiny.

“However this is not just a Derbyshire issue. The national evidence is clear that the SEND system has reached a point where reform is unavoidable, driven by increasing need, workforce pressures and challenges in ensuring consistent support across mainstream and specialist settings.

“In that context, we welcome the focus of the proposed reforms and are working on delivering an improvement and reform plan:

• strengthening the link between identification and timely support, including earlier intervention;
• improving inclusion in mainstream schools alongside sufficient specialist provision;
• investing in workforce development so that staff across education, health and care are better equipped to meet children’s needs; and
• providing greater clarity and consistency for families about what support they can expect.

“It is right that questions are being raised about how these reforms will work in practice. It is essential that any changes build on what has not worked before, are co-produced with families and professionals, and are backed by sustainable funding and capacity across the system.

“MPs are invited to regular meetings to discuss SEND updates with me, fellow councillors and senior leaders at the council and I look forward to seeing Mr Perkins at the next meeting on 12 June.

“Our focus in Derbyshire is to continue improving services here and now, while engaging constructively with national reform to ensure that it delivers real, lasting change for children and young people with SEND.”