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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National

Why I had to turn to lawyers as the parent of a child with Send

Bridget Phillipson at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) conference in Liverpool on 13 March 2026.
Bridget Phillipson has said lawyers’ criticisms of policy changes were motivated by profit. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

The claim by the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, that lawyers are “exploiting” parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) is not only wrong, it is deeply insulting to the thousands of families who are forced to rely on legal advice simply to secure the support their children are already entitled to under the law (Report, 13 March).

I am one of those parents. My daughter Jessica has complex needs and is unable to speak or communicate. Like many families across the country, we depend on the legal protections within the Send framework to ensure that she receives the education, care and support she requires.

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