17 March 2026

We have published a new report highlighting persistent inequalities in how children and young people from under-served communities access special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision, and how their families access the legal advice they may need to secure that support. 

‘Breaking barriers: addressing inequalities and improving access to SEND legal advice for under-served communities’ explores the barriers families face when trying to secure appropriate SEND provision for their children and understand their legal rights. 

Our research shows that families who face the greatest barriers to accessing SEND provision for their children are often those least able to access legal advice about their rights. As a result, children and young people may be at greater risk of missing out on the education they are entitled to by law. 

Read the report 

Key findings at a glance

Our research highlights four key concerns about how the SEND system is experienced by families from under-served communities:

• Early intervention isn’t early enough.
• Parents’ concerns are not being heard and are dismissed, resulting in intervention being delayed until unmet needs escalate into crisis.
• Co-production is not a reality in practice.
• Failures in SEND provision, including the inability to adapt to changes in families’ circumstances and discriminatory practices, have wide-reaching impacts on families, children and young people. 

We are thankful to our funders, including Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, John Laing Charitable Trust, LEF and Pears Foundation, who have made this research and our ongoing work to reach under-served communities possible. 

What our research looked at

The report draws on research carried out between July 2024 and May 2025, including interviews with advice providers, focus groups with families and a literature review. 

It explores the experiences of families, children and young people who may face additional barriers accessing SEND provision and legal advice, including:

• families with English as an additional language (EAL)
• care-experienced children, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children
• children and young people from asylum-seeking, refugee and unsettled immigration status families
• detained children and those involved in the youth justice system
• Romany Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller children and young people
• Black and Global Majority children and young people 

With very few exceptions, nearly all the parents and providers who participated in this research described their experiences of inadequacy and failure within SEND provision. 

Why this research matters

In England, there is a robust legal framework for supporting children and young people with SEND. However, it is frequently not complied with. 

This research shows that access to support is shaped not only by failures within the SEND system, but also by wider structural factors affecting families’ lives, including:

• poverty and insecure housing
• language barriers and migration status
• racism and discrimination
• involvement with care or youth justice systems and,
• unequal access to information, advocacy and support. 

We commissioned this research to better understand how families from under-served communities experience SEND systems and the barriers they face in accessing SEND legal advice and support. The findings will help inform the development of our services and outreach. 

In the context of ongoing SEND reform, this report is particularly timely: it highlights the need to consider carefully how proposed changes may affect those children and families who are already least well served by the current system. 

What happens next

The report sets out recommendations for how we can strengthen our services and outreach so that families from under-served communities can better access SEND legal advice and support. 

Following the publication of this report, we will use its findings to help guide our future work and partnerships. If your organisation is interested in partnering with us or contributing to this work, please contact us at: [email protected]