PARENTS and campaigners have claimed they are being “gaslit” after an Ofsted report praised the Town Hall on its work with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The report, produced by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commissioner and shared by Islington Council, found that SEND children in Islington “generally have positive experiences” and are “at the centre” of the work to support them.

But those who are most directly affected by Islington’s frontline SEND services have called into question the findings, telling the Tribune that it doesn’t show the full picture.

Kimberley Turner, a SEND campaigner who advocates on behalf of children in Islington, said: “This report ruling is a kick in the teeth, not just because it doesn’t reflect the experience of many SEND children and their parents, but because Islington’s services have been in decline for the last five, 10 years. They are worse than they were before.”

One metric of the council’s positive ruling was the “early help and intervention” for children with special needs, and the “timely” delivery of Education, Health and Care Plans (ECHP).

Ms Turner said that as a result of diminishing local authority funding, the Town Hall was “under-assesing” children in the borough, which was leaving many children “slipping through the cracks”.

“This lack of funding has culminated in a lack of assessments, more tribunals, more children out of school, worse support within schools and longer waiting lists for assessments. Everything has just gone progressively downhill.”

She added that she felt the ruling would give the council “ammunition” to continue what she described as “systemic abuse” against disabled and SEND children.

Another parent of a child with learning difficulties, who wanted to stay anonymous, said she felt that although Islington definitely had a “problem” with its SEND service delivery, it went “much deeper” than local authority powers.

She said: “To be honest, when engaging with my daughter, the main problem is that it felt like the council workers just made it up as they went along.

“They will put endless obstacles in front of you, and different obstacles for different parents, and just endlessly move the goalposts when trying to get diagnoses or assessments. And it’s all driven by them trying to stop spending money. I had to stop myself when reading the report, because I couldn’t believe what I was reading. There is gaslighting, but this is a whole new level of gaslighting.”

Earlier this year, the government announced a £4billion overhaul of its SEND policy, aiming to “take the pressure” off local authorities.

Cllr Sheila Chapman, the Town Hall’s children chief, said: “We’re pleased that the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission found that Islington children and young people with SEND have positive experiences with the council. Nationally, Islington is regarded as a leader when it comes to SEND practice, and we’ve collaborated with government and other local authorities to share best practice with them.

“We recognise that some families find navigating the national SEND system difficult and welcome the plans for reform as set out by central government. The voices of children and young people and their families are at the heart of what we do and will continue to do so.”