The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has delivered a damning verdict on the state of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision in its latest Triennial Review.

This report lays bare the deep-rooted failings of local authorities in delivering essential support to some of the most vulnerable children and young people in England.

For families navigating the SEND system, the findings echo what they already know: the system is broken and failing those it is meant to protect. Despite legal obligations to provide timely and effective support, local authorities are falling alarmingly short, creating frustration, distress, and missed opportunities for children and their futures.

Shocking Statistics Reveal Systemic Breakdown

The numbers from the LGSCO’s review speak volumes about the scale of the crisis:

One in four complaints received by the Ombudsman in 2023-24 were related to SEND services.

An overwhelming 92% of these complaints were upheld, demonstrating widespread failings.

Persistent issues include:

• Significant delays in issuing or reviewing Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans.
• Failures to deliver the provision specified in EHC plans, leaving children without essential support.

The Ombudsman’s own words highlight the severity of the situation:

"A situation where we are upholding nearly 100% of complaints cannot be one that is working for children and their families."

A System Failing Families When They Need It Most

The SEND system is meant to provide critical support to ensure children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Instead, families are left grappling with:

• Endless Delays: Months, even years, pass as local authorities fail to meet statutory deadlines for EHC plans and reviews.
• Broken Promises: Provision outlined in EHC plans often goes undelivered, leaving children without the resources they need.
• Emotional and Financial Strain: Families face immense pressure, with many forced to pay for private assessments or legal action to secure their children’s entitlements.

LGSCO: “We Need More Power to Act”

The LGSCO is clear: their ability to address these failings is limited. Currently, they cannot investigate some of the most pressing issues, including:

• The support provided to children with SEND who do not have an EHC plan.
• Key decisions around school admissions and exclusions, which disproportionately affect children with SEND.

The Ombudsman is calling for expanded powers to investigate these areas. Without this authority, many children remain unsupported, and schools are not held accountable for their decisions.

Expert Calls for Urgent Reform

Catriona Moore, Policy Manager at the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA), issued a strong call to action:

"The number of SEND-related complaints the LGSCO investigates and upholds demonstrates clearly that the system that should be supporting children and young people with SEND is instead failing far too many of them.

We strongly support the LGSCO’s call to be allowed to investigate a wider range of actions and decisions by schools affecting children with SEND. This would improve accountability for decision-making, which is currently one of the biggest weaknesses in the SEND system and the reason so many children and young people don’t get the support they need and are entitled to by law."

Beyond the Numbers: Real Lives Impacted

Behind every statistic is a family struggling to secure their child’s future. Parents report feeling abandoned, fighting an uphill battle against a system that is supposed to support them. Children, meanwhile, are left without proper educational placements, therapies, or resources, missing out on critical years of development.

One parent, whose complaint was upheld, shared their experience:

"It felt like we were shouting into the void. No one listened until the Ombudsman stepped in. By then, we’d lost two years of education for our child. No family should have to go through this."

Hope for Change: A Call to Action

The Triennial Review leaves no doubt: the SEND system requires urgent reform. The Ombudsman’s call to expand their remit is not just reasonable, it’s essential.

Greater accountability at every level of the system is the first step toward ensuring every child gets the support they deserve.

As a SEND advocate, I have worked with dozens of families to file complaints with the Ombudsman.

Every single one of these cases has been upheld, highlighting the pervasive issues within the current system. While this demonstrates that justice can be achieved, it also underscores a sobering truth: families should not have to fight so hard for what their children are legally entitled to.

The time for change is now. Families deserve better, children deserve better, and the SEND system must deliver on its promises.

To read the full LGSCO report, visit their website: LGSCO Triennial Review.