Portsmouth mother forced to go private after SEND support failures
A Portsmouth mother has criticised local services for failing to support her daughter with special educational needs, saying the family were forced to pay privately.
Lamara Fudge says her daughter, now 11, struggled in school for four years without adequate help.
“Despite raising our concerns in many meetings, we were repeatedly told that she was a ‘well-behaved student’ and that she masked her true needs in school,” she said.
The family tried to get a neurodiverse assessment through the school, but the waiting list was three years. They went private, and their daughter received a diagnosis, yet the school offered “little to no additional support”.
When they applied for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) through a parental request, it was refused. “Her needs were being met in school,” they were told.
Mediation with the school and council said they have the right to appeal the refusal but they felt “the outcome will be the same”.
Repeated requests for dyslexia screening were also dismissed. After a private assessment, it was clear the school had not properly tested her.
Even with this evidence, the Local Authority refused to assess her for an EHCP, offering only a paper hearing, meaning the family could not speak in person.
The entire cost the family around £5,000 over three years, she added that meaningful progress didn’t happen until they sought help privately.
“The stress on us as parents has been immense,” Lamara said. “We’ve watched our daughter cry daily because she couldn’t cope in school. Portsmouth is called a ‘needs-led city’ – but in reality, it felt like the opposite.”
The family eventually won the appeal, but Lamara warns of ongoing struggles for mental health support and long waiting times.
The court report notes that the Tribunal was “not convinced” the council had a full understanding of the child’s needs or what was needed to meet them.
A Portsmouth City Council spokesperson said: “At the time of the decision, the information we had indicated that the school was meeting the child’s needs through provision ordinarily available at SEN Support level.
“The First-tier Tribunal has since reviewed the case and reached a different conclusion. We respect the Tribunal’s decision and have acted accordingly.
“We are committed to continuously improving our processes to ensure that every child with special educational needs receives the support they require. Tribunals are important to help inform our processes.
“Each decision regarding an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment is made on an individual basis, taking into account the evidence available at the time and in accordance with Section 36(8) of the Children and Families Act 2014.
“In the academic year 2024/2025, the Local Authority received 586 new requests for an EHC Needs Assessment. Of these, 125 requests were declined, representing 21.3 per cent of the total (this compares with a national figure of 31.8 per cent).
“This shows that in Portsmouth we decide to proceed to assessment at a higher rate than the national average, reflecting our commitment to applying the law appropriately to ensure that children’s needs are thoroughly considered.
“To date, only one appeal against a refusal to assess has been upheld.”