Nursery World - Families lose landmark SEND case against Government

The families of children with SEND who brought a legal challenge against the Government over funding have lost their case in the High Court.

The Royal Courts of Justice in London where the case was heard

The three families from North Yorkshire, Birmingham and East Sussex argued that central government budget decisions are leaving local authorities across the country unable to fulfil their legal obligation to provide education to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Following a two-day hearing in June at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, the court has today handed down the judgment, ruling that while the families had an ‘arguable’ case, the Government did not act unlawfully in the ‘particular circumstances’ of the case.

Solicitor's comments

Anne Marie Irwin, senior associate solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, who acted for the families, said, ‘We and the families are disappointed by today’s decision but thank the court for hearing the case.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included