The Guardian, 26th March 2026
Only 38% of parents without care plans felt teachers in mainstream schools had the tools to deal with special needs
Parents of children with special needs in England feel alienated from their schools if they don’t have legal protection, according to the biggest representative survey of its kind.
In a finding that will cause consternation among government ministers, the survey of parents found that those of children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) but no education, health and care plan (EHCP) were the least satisfied group in the education system.
Last month, the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, announced the government’s long-awaited Send proposals, which will result in hundreds of thousands fewer students getting education, health and care plans by 2035.
The Parent Voice Project’s report, How Schools Work for Every Child, found 57% of parents of a child with Send but no EHCP rated the quality of education at their child’s school as high or very high, compared with 68% of parents of children with Send and an EHCP, and 71% of parents of children without Send.
The report, based on a nationally representative survey of more than 6,000 parents, alongside the findings of focus groups, found widespread support for greater inclusion of children with Send in mainstream schools – a central tenet of government changes to the education system – but only if schools have the right resources to function well.
Half of all parents said it was important for children with Send to be educated in mainstream schools, but only 52% thought teachers had the right tools to deal with Send, a figure that fell to 38% among parents of children with Send but no EHCP.
“If reform can deliver earlier and more visible support in mainstream schools, many parents will welcome it,” said Fiona Forbes, the founder of the Parent Voice Project. “But the shift away from escalation will only work if families experience consistency and follow-through in practice.”