Submitted by Thomas Cotham on Saturday 21st February 2026
Published on Thursday 26th March 2026
Current status: Open
Open until: Saturday 26th September 2026
Current Signatures: 23
(count is updated approximately hourly)
Relevant Departments
Tagged with
Access ~ Capacity ~ Children ~ concerns ~ Cost ~ Disabled ~ Ensure ~ EXIST ~ failure ~ fund ~ government funds ~ independence ~ Law ~ Option ~ place ~ Profiteering ~ Quality ~ Rebuild ~ Reform ~ review funding ~ Reviewed ~ Safeguarding ~ Schools ~ Specialist ~ system ~ Therapy ~ Viewing
Government to cover full cost of SEND provisions to protect access
We call on the Government to review funding places at mainstream & independent schools for students with SEND to ensure this reflects the true cost of the complex provision these schools provide including therapy & safeguarding processes. Funding shouldn't restrict quality of support or limit access
In our view many independent specialist school placements exist because there is no state place or inclusive mainstream option, and that these placements are a symptom of system failure, not its cause. While concerns over profit are valid, we believe that Government funding for places in specialist schools must not compromise quality of provision or leave children without support. We also call on the Government to rebuild state specialist capacity, improve mainstream inclusion and early intervention, and ensure lawful, timely decisions. Financial reform must put disabled children's needs first.
If you want to sign this petition (as opposed to merely discuss it), you need to do that on the government's e-Petitions website.
216.73.217.17 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:37:34 +0100
