Giving hope.....

This image was originally used for another purpose, but I will use it to share my perspective on the education system.

From a young age, we are led to believe that attending school is the only way to receive an education. However, even when a young person is placed in a specialist setting, the system can still fail them.

Why does this happen?

Through our experience, we have identified several key issues:

• Safeguarding concerns

• Unmet needs

• Forcing young people into a rigid system that doesn’t suit them

• A lack of child-centered approaches

• And many more...

Some parents fight hard for a specialist (SEN) placement, only to hold onto it even when it no longer feels right.

Why?

• Because they feel there are no other options.

• Because they feel they should be grateful due to the limited availability of placements.

• Because mainstream education didn’t work—so what else is there?

But what I’ve learned is that SEN schools are not the perfect solution for every child.

For my son, what worked was:

• Being at home

• Feeling safe

Why?

Because without safety and a sense of worth, a child cannot thrive, engage, or feel they belong.

I was tired of hearing:

• “He won’t engage.”

• “He won’t access learning.”

• “He’s regressing.”

But why?

Because the system itself wasn’t meeting his needs.

Fast forward to today—he is at home, and he is thriving.

• He is accessing all his lessons and therapies.

• He now sees a future for himself.

• His confidence and self-esteem are growing.

• He is no longer depressed but instead working through his trauma.

This experience has shown me that education should be about what truly works for the child, rather than trying to fit them into a predefined system.