Parents’ perspectives on special education in England: institutional disability discrimination and non-compliance with the law

In England, the education of disabled and neurodiverse children with ‘Special Educational Needs and Disability’ (SEND) is in crisis, reflecting global challenges. Children are being failed despite spiralling costs. Government’s long-delayed plans for SEND are imminent. Yet scholarship about SEND in sociologies of education is limited. The paper ­foregrounds parents’ accounts, which are often overlooked, from semi-structured interviews and online forums; juxtaposed against current policy. We reframe debates, emphasising children’s rights to quality education are enshrined in English legislation, yet systematically denied within ableist/disablist systems. Impacts on children and families are devastating: they are ‘broken’ and ‘traumatised’. Systematic compliance with requirements to listen to families, early identification and appropriate intervention, support and reasonable adjustments, would uphold children’s rights. Long-term this would resolve the financial crisis; although investment is urgent following years of Austerity, which have impacted upon agencies supporting children with SEND (education, health, social care and Local Authorities).