HARLOW MP Chris Vince rose on the floor of the House of Commons to tell ministers that local residents have “completely lost faith in the special educational needs system.

Mr Vince said: “I note that the Minister has not been to Harlow yet. [Laughter.] Families in Harlow have completely lost faith in the SEND system that we inherited.

“I do not think that it is too much of a stretch to suggest that parents are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after battling to get support for their children.

“Will she outline, based on the specialist places she mentioned in a previous answer, what the Government are doing to ensure that we have a system that does not pit families, and indeed education professionals, against a system that is broken?

Georgia Gould Minister of State (Education) replied: “I will make sure that that oversight is corrected as soon as possible—although, I am not sure that my hon. Friend has actually invited me to Harlow yet, but I know the Prime Minister has been.

“My hon. Friend has written to me with stories of parents fighting the system—I have heard many like them—completely exhausted and often having to give up their jobs in order to fight for support for their children. It is just not good enough.

“We recognise that support needs to be available much earlier, we are investing in it, and that is the basis of the reforms that we will be bringing forward”.

The full debate is below.

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2026-01-19a.10.7&s=speaker%3A26350#g11.7