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For a long time, I was eager to produce a film focusing on special educational needs and disabilities.

Perhaps you recognize me from Linda Carter, but I'm also a mother to an neurodivergent son who also has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

It took many months of determination and effort from both of us to obtain the right education for him. At times, it seemed like a struggle.

This is the reason I wanted to make this documentary, so I could connect with other parents going through the similar situation, and discuss with teachers, local authorities, and the government about how Send children are educated in England.

Understanding Send in the UK

Currently, there are over 1.7 million children in the country with Send. This represents a broad group, encompassing autistic children and individuals who face challenges in communication, have ADHD, and mobility issues, among other conditions.

Schools in England already provide assistance to these students, but if families think their son or daughter needs additional support, they can make an application to their council for an EHCP.

An Education, Health and Care Plan is a crucial document because it is legally binding, specifies where a pupil should attend, and outlines how much additional help they should get.

We devoted countless hours completing the application forms to apply for an EHCP, and many families find the process very frustrating.

A Mother and Son's Journey

Not long after I meet teenage Buddy, he shows me his beloved cuddly toy, his comfort object.

He is on the autism spectrum, meaning his brain processes and responds to the environment in a unique manner from others. He faces difficulties in meeting people his own age, managing his emotions, and anxiety. He prefers to keep Reindeer Dog close to him.

Following their move to the capital from Scotland in October 2024, Buddy's mum, Tunde, started applying for schools. She explains she tried at least 11 schools, but many of them failed to respond, and those that did said they were full or were unable to give Buddy the necessary help without an EHCP.

By the beginning of the current year, over 638,000 plans had been issued to children and young people in the country, a significant increase on the year before and an substantial growth in half a decade.

This rise is partly because families and educators have become more skilled at recognizing pupils who have Send, particularly autism spectrum disorder, as rather than there being more children with special needs.

It is the second time the family have sought an EHCP. Their initial request was rejected before Buddy was evaluated. Councils reject about a 25% of EHCP applications at the assessment stage, according to official figures.

When they lived in the Scottish system, Tunde says they were not required to apply for the comparable of an EHCP. His comprehensive school provided assistance for his learning, but not for his emotional needs.

The Scottish system has a alternative approach for supporting pupils with special needs; educational institutions aim to offer more support without the requirement for families to seek the similar of an EHCP.

"It's chaotic," Tunde says. "[Getting extra support] was so easily done, and it should be simple to repeat."

Although the teenager is unable to go to school, the local authority is providing him with 19 hours of lessons per week in the local library.

Tunde explains the process of seeking an EHCP has been so demanding she had to stop working as a midwife and health visitor for a period.

"I can't do the parenting. I cannot take him to these sessions, and work at the same time… I couldn't secure appointments for my child in the right amount of time and attend to other people's babies in the necessary period. And it was a toss up - and my son prevailed," she says.

We catch up with Buddy after a long communication assessment.

"Draining… that's all I've got for you," he remarks as he rests on a barrier, his toy held close.

Finding a Place for Buddy

As autumn begins and as millions students begin classes, Buddy is continuing to be educated in the public library. 60 days after I first met him, he's getting an EHCP but his education is still not settled.

The local council agreed to Tunde's appeal that he attend an independently run school that specializes in children who struggle in mainstream schools.

Before Buddy can begin there, the school has already taken over the lessons he receives in the library setting. But the parent's currently uncertain the place will be able to deliver what she believes her child requires to improve his social skills and self-assurance with peers his own age.

"We had been fully ready for the start of term… and he remains without a school place, he's still having one-to-one lessons," she stated.

"In my view … getting ready to be with other kids and then still only having one-to-one with instructors has set him back and made him not want to attend school."

The local authority says it takes the family's worries with utmost importance and it will keep assist her family to make certain they receive the provision they require without additional waiting.

It says it knows how hard it can be for parents to navigate the system, and how distressing holdups in obtaining help can be.

The council adds it has invested in a specialist support service, and currently guarantees children are evaluated by expert educators at the earliest stage, and it is willing to reassessing the situation when parents are concerned about school placements.

Existing Framework is Failing

I know there is a different perspective to this story.

The significant increase in the number of EHCPs is putting local authorities under intense budgetary strain. It is estimated that UK local governments are set to run up a combined Send deficit of £4.3bn and £4.9bn by spring 2026.

The government says it has invested a billion pounds to assist councils fund plans and additional funds on special educational needs placements.

I traveled to a local authority to interview among the few officials in public service willing to talk to me on the record about Send funding.

Jacquie Russell is a Conservative councillor and cabinet member for children, young people and learning.

"Today's framework is actually very adversarial. Our parents are increasingly tired and worried and frustrated of fighting… Employee absence rates are extremely elevated at the moment," she explains.

"This system doesn't work. It has failed. It fails to provide the best outcomes for students."

Demand for plans is now outstripping funding in West Sussex. In 2015, the council had about 3,400 children with an Education, Health and Care Plan. Now there are more than 10,000.

As a result the special needs budget gap has been growing annually, so that at the conclusion of the fiscal year it stands at over £123m.

"These funds is really essentially meant to be for local services. {That would have|