‘No child in Havering must be left behind’.Parents discovery that council only consulted with half of the schools it was meant to.

SEND Parents Linsey Worgan and Ruth Kettle-Frisby today write:

Red flags about the legality of the SEND Home to School Transport Consultation persist following the discovery that Havering council has only consulted with half the number of our of borough schools it was meant to. We expect Havering’s cost-saving policy to this essential service to be discussed – and may even go through – at the council meeting on Wednesday 15th June, and we write this to ensure that no child in Havering is left behind.

With both of our non-disabled childrens’ school applications, out of borough schools were not even considered. However, due to ablism, local authorities cannot always meet the needs of disabled children and so our disabled children have no choice to go to school in a neighbouring borough.

As per a Cabinet report of 13th September 2023, outlining the statutory guidance for the consultation, Havering council committed to protecting inclusivity by recognising the limitations of what Havering can offer and actively listening to the views of:

1. Out of borough schools with Havering children in attendance who may be affected by the proposed changes

2. The parents and carers of these children

3. Parents and carers whose children may be impacted by the proposed changes in the future

Distressingly, parental research revealed that Havering had failed to consult with a single out of borough school. This matter was raised on behalf of SEND parent carers by Ruth Kettle-Frisby at the Overview and Scrutiny meeting on 1st February 2024, whereupon assurances were given that the matter would be looked into and rectified.

Understandably anxious about their children not being included according to their rights, parents asked to see a current list of all the schools being consulted.According to Tara Geere, Director of Childrens Services at Havering Council, a total of 52 schools were invited to take part in the consultation.

This list of 52 schools was compared to a Freedom of Information Act request that parents made to uncover the total number of Out of Borough schools with Havering SEND students in attendance. This revealed that there were, in fact, 113 schools with Havering SEN students currently enrolled; more than double the number that had been consulted with as part of Havering’s SEN Transport Consultation. Even if Year 12 provisions were removed from the figure, it would leave 104 schools that had not been included in consultation process at all.

Linsey Worgan, a representative from Havering’s SEN parent community, highlighted this concerning failure to Tara Geere. She requested an explanation for this vast discrepancy in numbers before any change of Home to School Travel policy – impacting vulnerable disabled children in these schools – could be rolled out.

At the time of writing, no reply has been received.

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