Epsom Family Secures School Placement For Son With SEND

 

 

Despite having an approved EHCP and a suitable placement, Joshua had been out of school for months, and the delays have taken a devastating toll on his health and wellbeing. Joshua, who at age four was starting to read, knew the alphabet and use the toilet independently, has tragically regressed. He can no longer communicate clearly, lacks any sense of danger, cannot read or write, and experiences toileting accidents throughout the day and night. This heartbreaking reversal highlights the urgent need to address continued SEND failings.

 

Joshua, diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, Developmental Coordination Disorder, Speech and Language Delay, and associated anxiety, had been without appropriate education and support since March 2024, even though a suitable school, St Joseph’s Specialist Trust in Cranleigh, offered him a place. However, Surrey County Council repeatedly refused to fund this placement, citing cost concerns without providing a clear reason.

 

Joshua’s father, Alex Mayle, contacted Helen Maguire, highlighting SCC’s many failures and delays. Alex outlined a host of issues, including a failure to Implement Joshua’s EHCP, leaving him without the necessary support. SCC also refused to provide home support as required by his EHCP, offering a limited 7 hours per week instead of the full support Joshua needed.

 

Independent letters, including one from Joshua’s GP, showed the rapid deterioration of Joshua’s mental health due to the lack of support and ongoing delays. After numerous complaints, formal mediation attempts, and a tribunal process, it was only recently that Surrey County Council finally agreed to place Joshua at the school his parents had been advocating for over many months.

 

“This has been an incredibly difficult and stressful journey for our family. We are relieved that Joshua has finally been placed in a school that can support his needs. However, it has taken almost two years, tens of thousands of pounds, and caused significant damage to Joshua’s health and wellbeing, as well as our own. Surrey County Council’s failure to meet its statutory obligations is shocking. Throughout the process we have spoken with countless parents, whose children are in the same position. Not only is it unacceptable, but it is also illegal. All children are entitled to an education, and they are being failed by a broken system, that is underfunded and under resourced.”

 

“It is a sad day when a family in such dire straits has to approach their MP on an issue that should have been addressed much earlier by the local County Council. No family should have to escalate matters this far, especially when their child’s needs are at stake. The voice of parents MUST be listened to, and while I am relieved that Joshua has finally received the education and support he deserves, it is deeply troubling that it took this long for the Council to act.”

“This case highlights systemic failures within Surrey County Council’s SEND services, and urgent reform is needed to prevent other children from suffering in the same way.”