MPs demand review into SEND services following BBC Panorama

Elliot Colburn, Paul Scully and Councillor Tim Crowley are demanding that the council takes action to address its "systemic failures" in their SEND department.

The call comes after the council was featured on an episode called 'Fighting for an Education' on September 7. 

On the episode, Hayley Harding, founder of Sutton EHCP Crisis, told reporter Sean Dilley how the council failed to assess her autistic son, who has physical disabilities. 

Hayley Harding was picked up by BBC Panorama following her ongoing campaign against Sutton's SEND services, Cognus Ltd. 

MORE: Sutton parents fight for special needs education on BBC Panorama

Carshalton and Wallington MP, Elliot Colburn said: “The programme was very difficult to watch and has exposed what local parents have been telling us for years- that this council’s incompetent handling of EHCPs is causing real harm to already vulnerable children.

“I am raising these important issues in Parliament, but only a change in leadership and a real review of the system by the Council will bring about the changes that families need.”

Sutton and Cheam MP, Paul Scully said: “I commend the bravery of Sutton parents such as Hayley Harding for speaking out and standing up for what their children are entitled to by law.”

Councillor Tim Crowley said: “Councillor Batt has presided over another catastrophic failure under this Council, failing the most vulnerable children in our Borough.

"She must resign and Cognus must go."

A spokesperson for Sutton Council said: "We recognise that in some cases it takes time to reach agreement on how best to meet the child’s needs, while accommodating both the wishes of parents and the professional assessment of need. 

"We want parents to keep talking and communicating with us while we together navigate that process. 
 
"The issues relating to Sutton that were raised in the BBC Panorama programme have been acknowledged and resolved over the past two years. 

"This was stated in the programme and also acknowledged in the recent Ofsted and Care Quality Commission  report on SEND services in the borough. 

"It was also acknowledged by the Government’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, Vicky Ford MP, who wrote to the Council earlier this year to congratulate us on the outcome of the inspections and the progress made.
 
"BBC Panorama highlighted the important issue of SEND provision, and the challenge across the country.

"In Sutton, our ambition is that we meet the challenge by working with parents, carers, schools and education settings to ensure all children in the borough have appropriate and high quality support in the most appropriate setting for their need."