SEND support survey feedback 2023
4. Accessing support
You have shared that often it is a challenge to access the right support.
Many families shared that they feel:
- their child is being 'failed' by the school or by the processes within SEND
- they had limited knowledge and information about what support is available
- there appears to be a high threshold for families to receive support for their child, outside of school
- there is inequity in the locations of support groups or sessions for children with SEND
However, some families shared how precious and valuable the Lancashire SENDIAS (SEND Information, Advice and Support Service) is to families and how supportive they were.
"When I’ve sought support we’ve been ignored or told it’s not this service. We then hit crisis point and are not we aren’t a crisis service." (PC)
'It is exhausting fighting for your child from the day that they are born. Support should be automatic not an exhausting process. Support should come to me, not have to been hunted down. I doubt I am aware of a fraction of what could be helpful to use as a family. Parents have to rely on snippets of advice from one another.' (PC)
"I know individual people are trying their best - please challenge the systems to be more empathetic, caring and supportive. Remember people / parents are trying their best and the system pushes people to the breaking point." (PC)
"You know we have been on this journey since 2017 and the support now in comparison to now is so much better. We feel like it’s getting better and we have a lot of support. You’ve improved a lot. We feel listen to and supported. Please don’t pull any support and keep listening and helping us and other families." (PC)
"The path to diagnosis is taking a very long time. We started in 2020, and her appointment for the panel is due in November 2023." (PC)
"The system is so so complex if is difficult to understand what's going on and what needs to happen next. There's a lot of red tape and sometimes it's days of contacting people to sort things out. The waiting times are ridiculous too for support to be put in place." (PC)
"Getting support in school is an uphill battle. All on parents to push and push and push. The system is stacked against getting help and it puts too much pressure on working parents who already have too little support from anyone. Even more so if you have no family for support." (PC)
"My experience has been that it’s incredibly difficult to obtain referrals, diagnosis for my child due to a mismatch in info between schools and GP. Also those with special needs that aren’t as significant as others are often lost in the process and support by schools. I’m constantly having to advocate to get his case heard because he isn’t disruptive or at risk." (PC)
"Accessing support and appropriate education for our children should not be a battle. It should not be down to the parents to fight for this, it should be easy to access for all. Parents with more knowledge of "the system", or with the time and resources to fight, get the help and support for their children, whilst those whose parents don't know what to fight for, or don't have the resources to fight for this, are left behind. Kids are waiting over a year to even see a paediatrician. Those with money are paying to get assessment and support that others can't access." (PC)
What we have done and are working on...
The SEND local offer brings together information for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families. You can search the SEND Directory for organisations and services that support or provide information, advice and activities for children and young people with SEND and their families.
We've provided extra training for people working with children in the early years (such as childminders, nurseries and health visitors) to identify SEND.
Our new guide for families, school anxiety and school avoidance, has advice and information about the support available if your child is finding it difficult to go to school.
The Lancashire Family Hubs Network launched in September 2023 where families who have a child or young person up to the age of 25 with SEND, can access support, advice and activity groups.
The Lancashire and Cumbria autism support hub provides free advice and guidance on issues affecting autistic children, adolescents and adults. NHS Lancashire and Cumbria have partnered with mental health provider, Clinical Partners, to provide this service.