A charity focused on helping children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Surrey is expanding its services.
Challengers, a charity that promotes inclusion, says its “alternative provision” is needed because 248 children in Surrey are still waiting to find out if they will have a school place for September 2025.
To address this, the charity has started a new programme in Guildford.
Surrey County Council said it has already invested £260 million in its SEND programme. The council is also urging the central government to make wider changes to the education system.
Challengers supports children aged five to 18. The new project in Guildford is for children aged five to 12.
Jen Dearman from Challengers told BBC Radio Surrey: “This programme gives children somewhere to go. It is not just staying at home. We help them learn about routines.
“They can play, make friends, and communicate. Without this support, they might feel isolated and their mental health could suffer.
“We want to prepare them so that when they do get a school place, they are ready and able to join in with education.”
Selina Clayton from Ash, Surrey, brings her son, who has non-verbal autism, to Challengers.
She said: “Children can come here with their families, feel relaxed, and welcomed. Parents can also talk to each other.
“Their siblings can meet other siblings who understand their situation.”
Calls for Wider Changes
A Surrey County Council spokesperson said the number of children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in the county has more than doubled between 2018 and 2025.
Currently, over 45,000 children and young people in Surrey have SEND.
The spokesperson added: “We have invested £260 million in our SEND and alternative provision programmes. Our goal is to increase specialist education places to about 5,760 by 2032.
“We continue to lobby the government for more funding, urgent reform, and broader changes to the system.”
