Overview
- Dozens of coordinated events placed children’s shoes outside council buildings across England on November 3, with organisers reporting up to 97 local actions.
- Campaigners highlight routine breaches of the 20‑week legal deadline for EHCP decisions, shortages of specialist places, and EHCP caseloads rising by roughly 45–50% in many areas since 2019.
- Families report children out of school for months or years, part‑time timetables, enforced home education, and serious mental‑health harm linked to unmet needs.
- The Department for Education says it is engaging with families and investing £740m to create more specialist places after 100+ listening sessions, though national reform plans have been pushed back to 2026.
- Local authorities acknowledge severe pressure, point to new places and process changes, and cite acute financial strain, including a forecast £183m SEND deficit in Norfolk.