
This disparity is concerning considering that Harrow’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Strategy identifies the need for high quality provision and outcomes based on a continuity of provision for all children, but especially vulnerable children including disabled children and those with special educational needs [SEND].
Also, the well argued Childcare Sufficiency Assessment report informs that parents/carers of children with special educational needs/additional needs are less satisfied with childcare compared to parents/carers of children without SEN/additional needs (42% compared to 72%), and that 25% of parents/ carers who have children with SEN can’t find childcare for their child, compared to 2% of parents/carers whose children do not have SEN/additional needs. A similar lack of suitable early years provision for children was identified in 2011.
Overall, only 65% of parents/carers report being satisfied/very satisfied with childcare in 2016 where White British parents/carers are 8% more likely to be satisfied with their current childcare arrangements than families from other ethnicities (77% compared to 69%) – seemingly a decline from the 2011 picture.
It would be interesting to see the effectiveness of the Harrow’s Early Years Strategy in addressing the gaps in the Early Years provisions.