Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde calls for a cap on the profits of SEND schooling providers

4,939 children in East Sussex currently have an ECHP, according to the latest government data available.

The SEND crisis has led to many local authorities facing exorbitant costs for private provision, while further figures have revealed that home-to-school transport for SEND young people cost £1.42 billion between 2023 and 2024.

Council finances are being pushed to the brink, with many facing bankruptcy or having to reduce or end service provision for vulnerable groups.

And research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats discovered that some SEND schooling companies have seen their annual profits increase as the crisis of access has worsened, with some making margins of over 20%. 

• In the House of Commons, Mr Babarinde has pushed for Eastbourne to receive its fair share of the £1 billion additional SEND funding that the Government announced last year. 
• The Eastbourne MP is fighting to ensure that Eastbourne families are at the heart of the impending SEND reforms and that changes work in the interests of children, parents, carers and schools. 

Josh Babarinde, Liberal Democrat MP for Eastbourne, said: 

Families across Eastbourne are crying out for action to ensure that young people living with special educational needs and disabilities are given the support they need, and deserve. 

And since I became Eastbourne’s MP I’ve heard from over 100 local residents crying out for action. It’s why I’m hosting a SEND Community Living Room event in Eastbourne later this month to bring the people of our town face-to-face with the teams who can help them. 

But it’s absolutely outrageous that whilst we all work tirelessly to address this challenge, companies are laughing all the way to the bank. The Government must cap their profits to ensure money is spent where it’s needed most-  back into our SEND system.