A mother in the West Midlands is struggling to afford private therapy sessions costing over £7,000 annually for her seven-year-old son with multiple disabilities. Natalie Thompson, a single parent, has a son named Azuriah who has autism, global development delay, is non-verbal, and was recently diagnosed with ADHD. Due to her son’s needs, Natalie can only work part-time as an HR adviser in healthcare.
The therapy sessions are crucial for Azuriah’s communication and social skills development, and Natalie is advocating for them to be covered under his EHCP. She expressed the financial and emotional strain her family endures, emphasizing the ongoing challenges of budgeting for Azuriah’s needs. Natalie highlighted the financial burden of additional speech therapy on top of existing therapy costs, which could exceed £10,000 per year.
Many families like Natalie’s are facing financial difficulties due to the shortcomings of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. A study by disability charity Sense revealed that parents of children with complex needs spend an average of £8,500 annually due to delays in receiving support. These parents often resort to paying for private assessments while awaiting EHCP approval.
EHCPs are intended to secure necessary support for children, but delays and inconsistent decisions have led to significant waiting times. The proposed reforms aim to expand access to support plans with legal backing, categorizing children into different tiers of assistance. Additionally, the government plans to address soaring fees charged by independent special schools, aiming to establish clear pricing standards and statutory requirements for these institutions.
Critics of the reforms have raised concerns about potential changes to existing legal rights under EHCPs, particularly regarding the reassessment of children with complex needs at key transition points. The reforms are expected to provide additional funding for inclusive education and teacher training, aiming to alleviate the financial strain on families and improve support for children with SEND.
