Bristol Families Challenge Bristol City Council Today Over Send Budget Cuts

Bristol Parents Protest Against £5M Cuts to Send Budget by Bristol City Council

A Bristol parent tells us why she protested outside of Bristol High Court today

A group of parents with children who have special educational needs and disabilities (Send) campaigned outside of Bristol’s High Courts today. They turned out in support of two families who had legally challenged Bristol City Council over £5m in cuts to the Send budget in Bristol.

A rolled-up hearing was taking place inside, concerning Bristol City Council’s decision to make huge cuts to the Send budget in the city.

The cuts to the budget have hit vulnerable children who need additional support in mainstream schools, specialist provision and pupil referral units.

Cut backs will include funding for things like EHCPs, top-up funding and one to one support.

The two families involved cannot be named for legal reasons. They are working with Simpson Millar’s education specialist Dan Rosenbery as they believe Bristol City Council’s action is ‘unlawful’ and they worry about the ‘impact’ on the children it will directly affect.

We spoke to Rachael Robbins, one of the parents taking part in the protest outside of the court to find out what prompted her to protest.

She urges parents struggling to access Send support in schools and difficulty applying for EHCPs in Bristol not to give up.

“Don’t stop fighting, just keep going,” she says.  “That’s the main thing, don’t give up, keep fighting and you’ll get what you want at the end of it.

“But it’s a long, long battle. Loads of parents aren’t able to see it through like I have. I got told loads of wrong information along the way Just keep asking for advice elsewhere because people mislay you and tell you different information or wrong information Just don’t give up, keep going basically.”

We will be looking further into Send cuts in Bristol and how it’s impacting upon children in the city #BristolSendCrisis

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