TTS Press Release
A new survey of over 500 parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has laid bare the lack of advice and support felt in homes across the UK.
Conducted by educational resources provider TTS to understand how to better support parents of children with SEND, the survey findings paint a national picture of frustration, isolation and unmet needs.
TTS found that 89% of parents believe that a lack of adequate SEND support is putting their child at a disadvantage. To further compound the feeling of not being supported, less than 4% feel the government provides adequate levels of SEND support for their child. These findings reveal the need for urgent government support to level up the playing field in education.
The government will outline its approach to SEND reform in a Schools White Paper in the autumn and it’s clear that parents will be desperate to learn how they can best support their children. Less than 4% of parents surveyed by TTS think the government has made improvements into SEND provision, so there will be demand for rapid improvement.
The survey also uncovered that 94% of parents feel overwhelmed when trying to access SEND support and only 9% feel it is easy to access the advice they need. Furthermore, 88% of parents say it’s very difficult to access SEND resources, which highlights the need for transparency. The lack of clear information is leaving families frustrated and not knowing where to turn with regards to getting the support they need.
In response to a rising need in support for parents of children with SEND, TTS have launched a dedicated space for SEND resources, expert advice and guidance on their website, where parents and carers will be able to find content and resources to support their children at home. Having seen a huge increase in the demand for their SEND resources in the education space, TTS want to offer further support to parents and carers to ensure their children’s needs are met.
Ian Mackinnon, CEO at TTS, commented:
“Our survey findings show that parents with SEND children are being left to fend for themselves and they need urgent support to give their children the best start in life.
“The majority of parents we spoke to told us that they most need to support their children’s feelings and emotions, as well as strategies to support calming and regulation. They also prioritise quality and safety when looking for a SEND resource.
“We hope that future reforms will improve the access to quality advice and provide signposting to resources that will improve the opportunities of all young people.”
Michael Surr, Head of Education at nasen, commented: “Listening to, understanding and acting on the voices of parents, children, and young people is a key principle that underpins the SEND Code of Practice.
“The proposed White Paper signifies a recognition of what children, young people, their parents, and professionals across the sector, are saying about their experience of the current system.
“What the research from TTS highlights, is that parents need support now. TTS’ dedicated SEND support will help to provide this. In addition, Nasen and TTS are working together, using our respective expertise, to support the sector in developing their provision for children and young people with SEND, through focusing on how to achieve inclusion for all.”
