REDDITCH MP Chris Bloore has slammed Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision in Worcestershire, saying families are being failed.
Mr Bloore has pressed the government in the House of Commons to strengthen its powers to intervene where local authorities are failing children and young people with SEND.
Speaking during Education Questions on statutory SEND duties and intervention powers, the MP said he there were ongoing concerns about Worcestershire County Council’s record, warning too many families were being left to battle a system that was not meeting its legal responsibilities.
Raising the issue directly with the Minister for School Standards, Georgia Gould MP, Mr Bloore said parents in Redditch reported persistent failures to meet statutory duties, alongside experiences of being dismissed or gaslit, causing prolonged distress to families already under extreme pressure.
He asked whether the forthcoming Schools White Paper would finally deliver stronger accountability and drive swift improvement where councils were failing.
Responding, the Minister acknowledged that the experience of parents having to fight for support is being heard in ‘too many communities’ across the country.
She confirmed the Government recognised the need for reforms underpinned by robust accountability, with performance monitored through Ofsted and departmental oversight and action taken where standards fell.
Mr Bloore said: “Worcestershire County Council has repeatedly let down children with SEND and their parents – ignoring legal duties, dismissing concerns and leaving families under unbearable pressure.
“Warm words aren’t enough. Before the SEND White Paper is published, we need clear, enforceable powers to hold failing local authorities to account.
“If families can’t trust the system to act when councils fail, we will never deliver the better outcomes children deserve – no matter how much money is invested.”
Coun Dr Stephen Foster, Worcestershire County Council Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Education and SEND said: “The previous Conservative Government introduced the system of legally binding EHCP’s without providing the necessary funding to make it work.
“They also introduced the ‘accounting fudge’ (IFS terminology, not mine) of the statutory override, so that councils hold the High Needs Deficits as negative reserves.
“This statutory override was due to end in March 2026.
“Instead of coming into power with a plan, the Labour Government have kicked the can down the road by extending this override to March 2028. The Government’s SEND White Paper was due in Autumn 2025; still no sign of it.
“Worcestershire County Council is effectively bankrupt through funding special needs places at Independent schools at high cost and providing taxis to take pupils there because we don’t have the funds to build the SEND capacity we need.
“Chris Bloore should be aware that we have been offered £5.7M by the DfE as an alternative to funding the Malvern SEND free school (120 places capacity) which they initially promised to open in September 2026.
“Now, turning down this offer, there is no timescale for the delivery of this very necessary facility.
“Mr. Bloore would be better advised to pressure the Education Ministers on the early delivery of this school, rather than congratulating the Minister on funding a paltry £200M nationally on the SEND training of teachers in mainstream schools.
“Furthermore, he would be better to ask, on Worcestershire County Council’s behalf (which he recently used to be a member of) what plans the Government have to fund the £300M High Needs Deficit that the council will hold by March 2027 – together with the sums held by all the councils in a similar position up and down the Country?
“We are fully aware of the improvements we still need to make, and the SEND Local Area Partnership is already delivering real progress.
“Following our latest Deep Dive on 16 December, led by the DfE and NHS England, we received positive feedback on how we are working more closely with children, young people and parent carers, and how their voices are shaping service change.
“While there is much more to do, we are confident that Worcestershire is moving in the right direction.”
