Autistic son terrified after Reform UK SEND Comments.

[MumInMidlife]

Hi all,
Posting as a very worried Lancashire parent.

My 14-year-old son is autistic, ADHD and has severe anxiety. He only got diagnosed in Year 8 after years of school completely overlooking his needs. CAMHS/ELCAS did almost nothing — long waits, no real support — and we had to fight relentlessly for his EHCP.

We eventually got the right placement (an online specialist school), but only after the council made multiple mistakes, consulted inappropriate schools, ignored evidence, and caused him a huge amount of stress. He still struggles massively with anxiety because of everything he went through.

And now I’m absolutely terrified for him because of Reform UK’s recent comments on SEND.

They have said things like:

Autism diagnoses are out of control.” — Richard Tice
We need to stop using autism as an excuse.” — Richard Tice
“Too many are collecting labels.” — Tice again
The SEND system is being abused.” — Nigel Farage
“Autism is over-diagnosed.” — Sarah Pochin (Reform MP)

I cannot explain how damaging this is for children like my son. His diagnosis wasn’t “easy.” It took years. And even now, with diagnoses and an EHCP, he is vulnerable and constantly anxious about adults minimising his disability.

And the worst part?

Reform UK are now in power in local authorities — including Lancashire County Council.

My son is terrified that the people running our area believe autism is made up or “over-diagnosed.”
He’s scared our support will be cut.
He’s scared his needs won’t be believed.
He’s scared he’ll lose his school placement again.

Honestly… so am I.

SEND children already get dismissed, gaslit and disbelieved by councils. We’ve lived it.
Hearing political leaders openly saying these things makes it so much worse.

I’ve contacted the press, the EHRC, the Children’s Commissioner and Lancashire County Council. But I wanted to ask:

Are other SEND parents scared too?

Do these comments worry you?
Have your autistic/ADHD children reacted the same way?
Are you concerned about Reform now running councils that make SEND decisions?

This isn’t about party politics — it’s about the safety and dignity of disabled children.

Would really appreciate hearing from other parents.

Thank you.
— A very anxious mum trying to protect her autistic child

I think you are very right to be frightened. I wish I could say something more uplifting. For those without the money to go private, I'd be worried. But I think it will be a little while before the worst harms are done, so I'd be more worried for younger children than a child who has made it to 14 already.

But I don't think you're crazy.

Happily, my kids think politics is boring and are thus unaware of the bile and we have the luxury of private school.

I'm terrified, but probably because there are people in this country who are too short sighted to see the disadvantages of voting them in past their own nose.

Richard Dickhead Tice's expertise lies in property development. He has no education, training or awareness of autism or ADHD or the punitive SEND system, or the hoops you have to jump through to get support, and I doubt any of his co-party members have any experience either.

I do also worry about adults. Tightening the benefits criteria, reducing the LWCRA payments, the increasing intolerance to reasonable adjustments in the workplace, and the rhetoric that being disabled is a choice and we're choosing to be disabled if we rely on sensory disability aids.

In times like this, it can help to turn your worry into activism. Show your son all of the charities and pressure groups that are out there fighting to make changes to how disabilities are seen, and encourage him to get involved within his own capacity. That could be really getting engaged, or it could be "I only have a fiver to give, but I'd like it to go to this cause". Just knowing that you've done a little bit of something can really help ease the nerves, and show that there's strength in numbers, and there are likeminded people out there.