19/10/2026
💔 AN UPDATE ON ZACH — AND THE REALITY OF THE BROKEN SEND SYSTEM 💔
So many of our lovely customers, friends and family have been asking how we’re getting on with Zach and his education. Firstly, thank you. It really does mean so much. ❤️
Unfortunately, I wish I had better news.
Zach is still without a suitable school place.
Despite independent professional assessments, specialist reports and even the mainstream school named by Devon County Council stating that it cannot meet his needs, the Local Authority continues to insist mainstream education is appropriate.
But what I’ve discovered is that fighting for the right school is only half the battle.
The other half is trying to get the people responsible to actually respond and fulfil their legal duties.
📧 Emails to senior officials go unanswered.
📅 Statutory deadlines are missed.
📄 Important professional evidence is overlooked or omitted from his EHCP.
⚖️ We’ve repeatedly had to challenge the Local Authority over its legal obligations.
📢 Formal complaints go unanswered, despite escalation.
I’ve contacted senior officials, involved our MP, submitted complaints and followed every process available to us.
Yet we’re still fighting to be heard.
How is it that parents are expected to follow every rule and meet every deadline, yet when the Local Authority fails to do the same, there appears to be no accountability?
And what happens when you try to hold them accountable?
Our SEND Tribunal hearing isn’t until 1st March 2028. We requested that it be brought forward because Zach is missing out on his education.
That request was refused.
We’ve tried the complaints process, the Ombudsman and the Information Commissioner’s Office, only to encounter further delays and backlogs.
It feels as though every route designed to protect children and hold authorities accountable is overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, the clock keeps ticking.
Children don’t get this time back.
What makes this even more heartbreaking is that Zach WANTS to go to school.
He wants to learn, make friends and have the same opportunities as everyone else. Home education isn’t the right option for him. He needs a school that understands him and can support his needs.
Instead, he’s at home while his peers are settling into secondary school.
And the impact on our family is enormous.
The countless hours spent researching legislation, writing emails, gathering evidence, paying for private assessments and challenging decisions are hours I should be spending with my children or running our little business.
And we’re far from alone.
Since sharing Zach’s story, I’ve heard from so many other Devon families experiencing the same frustrations.
This isn’t just paperwork or missed deadlines. These failures have real consequences for real children and their families.
If parents fail to ensure their children receive an education, there can be serious consequences.
But who is held accountable when the system fails to provide one?
I’m not asking for special treatment. I’m asking for Zach’s needs to be recognised, for the law to be followed and for him to receive the education he is entitled to.
Surely that shouldn’t be too much to ask?
I’m exhausted, frustrated and heartbroken watching my boy miss out.
But anyone who knows me knows I’m a mumma bear, and I won’t stop fighting for my children. ❤️
To everyone who has checked in, offered support or shared our story, thank you.
And to every other SEND parent fighting this battle, you’re not alone.
Our children are not case numbers, budgets or paperwork sitting in someone’s inbox.
They are children with dreams, potential and futures.
They deserve an education NOW, not when the system finally catches up.
💔 SEND children deserve better. And parents shouldn’t have to become legal experts just to get their children an education.
Andy Burnham Lucy Powell MP Devon Live
