By Gen Dearman, Challengers CEO
It’s approaching one month since we officially launched our expanded 555 Service in Guildford, with a focus on providing support for disabled children as young as 5 who are without an appropriate school place. There are far too many children with SEND falling through the cracks and being left behind by our education system, and it’s a problem which appears to be growing, though thanks to the recent BBC news coverage of service, I’m heartened to see how this has sparked conversations across the wider community.
Why ‘truly inclusive’ services like Challengers matter
While inclusion can sometimes feel like a buzzword which is banded around, when we talk about it at Challengers, we really mean it. At the heart of our approach is true inclusion, meaning that we will never exclude a disabled child or young person from our services because of their complex needs or financial situation.
For example, our 555 Service is designed to fill the gaps left behind when mainstream services fall short, and while there are other alternative provisions in the area, very few are able to accommodate children with multiple and complex disabilities. Some of the children who attend need 3 support workers with them at all times to keep them safe and happy. This can be difficult to manage financially and is one of the reasons why many other places won’t support these young people, but it’s a commitment which is vitally important to us as a charity and so we find a way to make it work.
The growing SEND crisis
I’m glad the conversation has started, but we still have a long way to go until meaningful change is implemented. According to data released by the Department for Education earlier this week, the number of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has risen by 5.6% to more than 1.7 million, according to data released by the Department for Education today. 45,500 of these young people are living in Surrey, where Challengers operates, and the number of Surrey children who require an EHCP has doubled between 2017 and 2023.
The overall growth equates to 93,700 more young people having support needs in comparison to the previous academic year, and highlights why services like ours are needed more than ever. It’s apparent this crisis cannot be solved overnight, but it’s important to share the stories of the children and families who are part of this so that awareness grows, and the government starts to take action.
How you can help
I’m pleased to share that we have just published our Impact Report for 2024/25, sharing the transformative effects that Challengers’ range of services have had on disabled children and their families. I urge you to read the stories of our families – to get a glimpse into their lives and to understand why Challengers is such a big part of it. Better yet, you can share the report with your own networks and keep the conversation going, so that more people understand why inclusion is vitally important.
To finish, I’d like to thank you our incredible staff team (often referred to as miracle workers by our families) who make a positive difference every day they turn up to work, and to everyone who continues to support Challengers and raise awareness of the essential work we do. Since 1979, our charitable vision has been ‘a world where all children and young people can play together, freely’, and together, with your support, we’re getting closer to turning this vision into reality.