In a poignant exploration of the challenges faced by students with special educational needs, young individuals are sharing their experiences and aspirations for a more inclusive educational environment. Eighteen-year-old Betsey has only recently begun her first year of psychology at the University of Greenwich. She shares her thoughts on her experience since being diagnosed as autistic in Year 12. Now living with her parents in London, Betsey feels she should have been supported earlier in her education and has an important message for those in charge.
Just like Evie, equally 18, her friend and fellow campaigner, she has faced huge challenges because of her particular instructional wants. She uses an electronic wheelchair and was homeschooled for three years with no education provided formally. It was difficult for mainstream schools to accommodate Evie’s physical complexities and academic development. As a result, she was left to feel unsupported and alone during some of the most pivotal years of her adolescence.
Arav, a 12-year-old autistic boy, similarly had difficulty being placed in the right education. Yet, like many families, Arav’s parents were overwhelmed by the lack of options available to their son. His individual learning needs needed him to be transferred to Evergreen School, which specializes in helping children like him. His experience is a powerful reminder of the need for differentiated instruction to serve all students.
For all these reasons, the situation for students with special educational needs in England is more dire than ever. Since 2016 the number of pupils with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) has more than doubled. Today, around one in five students in England are supported through school with special educational needs or disabilities. According to new figures, 482,640 students are currently getting the most intensive support via an EHCP.
Evie articulates the struggles faced by students like herself, stating, “There’s a massive gap for people like me.” Her journey through education has been fraught with challenges, as she explains, “I started going less, and having meltdowns before and after school because I couldn’t cope with the environment.” Evie’s experiences illustrate a dangerous failure in our educational system. We must make certain that students with special needs gain access to the resources and support that they rightfully earned.
Betsey deepens this story by discussing autistic people’s experience of navigating the world, particularly the barriers they encounter in accessing care and support. “I think a lot of autistic people maybe don’t push for the support they want because they don’t want to be an inconvenience or cause problems,” she notes. She is particularly vocal about the phenomenon of “masking.” This happens when people hide the fact that they’re having trouble keeping up with societal expectations, leading to even less accurate assumptions about their needs.
“To those on the outside, it might come across that they’re not struggling when they actually are,” Betsey explains. We are especially heartened that her story—of feeling ignored in her formative K-12 education years—has rung true to thousands of others who have endured similar experiences. “It’s because schools just don’t have the resources and funding to cater for all the needs of SEND students,” she adds.
The growing population of children who need special educational assistance has alarmed policymakers at all levels. A spokesperson from the Department for Education (DfE) acknowledged the complexity of the situation, stating, “Work is already under way to make sure support is available as routine and at the earliest stage – including through improved training for teachers, £740m to create more specialist school places, earlier intervention for speech and language needs and embedding SEND leads in our Best Start Family Hubs in every local area.”
Yet for all these plans to do better, advocates and parents across the state say that at this moment, there are still huge chasms in support. Betsey’s experience is emblematic of the national frustration that real preventative action is needed to tackle these problems long before they reach crisis mode. “I just felt like my opinion was kind of thrown to the side,” she says.
The DfE spokesperson further commented on the challenges facing the SEND system: “This report rightly highlights the vicious cycle underpinning the SEND system this government inherited.” This recognition is a signal that there’s an increasing realization that these systemic problems must be addressed now.
Betsey is beginning her new life as a college freshman. Her wish for students who follow her is a more understanding, more nurturing place of higher learning. She pushes for earlier intervention and broad support systems. This push is an important first step to help meet the needs of students with autism and other special educational needs.
