Families in Ealing are among hundreds across London struggling to get support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in schools, according to new research by disability charity Contact.
The charity, which supports families through projects in Ealing and Lambeth, found seven in 10 parents surveyed said accessing education support for their child had been difficult or very difficult, while more than half said schools had failed to put in place support their child was entitled to receive.
Almost 20% of the 412 families who took part in the survey were from Ealing.
The report also found families from minority ethnic backgrounds often faced extra barriers, including language difficulties, stigma around disabilities and mistrust of services.
Getting children referred for assessments was highlighted as one of the biggest problems, with 61% describing the process as difficult or very difficult.
Astrid Macabee, Contact parent adviser, said many parents felt “exhausted from the fight” to get help for their children.
She said: “Many parents we spoke to were in a desperate state – struggling with their child’s needs, financially stretched, exhausted from the fight of advocating for their child, and feeling very alone.”
The findings come as the Government’s consultation on proposed SEND reforms is due to close on Monday (18 May 2026).
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