'We demand the government act'

Campaign group SEND National Crisis held its Worcestershire rally outside the Guildhall on Thursday afternoon. Children, parents and teachers staged the protest against government funding cuts in special educational needs and disability (SEND) funding and delivery.

The Local Government Association estimates that English councils face a SEND funding gap of more than £500m this year.

At Thursday's event, crowds listened to speakers from Optimism in Autism, the National Education Union, the SEND National Crisis Worcestershire Team and from a speech and language therapist.

There were also performances from poets, dancers and theatre groups.

Organiser Tracey Winchester said: "We have had good crowds.

"It is a serious message, but we want people to engage with it and have fun.

"We need adequate funding, no disabled child should lose out."

Lynn Denham, councillor and Labour Party's parliamentary candidate for Worcester, was also at the event.

"Children in the county are suffering in our local schools that have been massively impacted by the austerity," she said.

According to the National Education Union (NEU), special needs provision in England has lost out on £1.2 billion since 2015.

But the government has said it is listening.

Children and families minister Nadhim Zahawi said: "Our ambition is for every child, no matter the challenges they face, to have access to a world-class education that sets them up for life.

"Funding for the high needs budget is a priority for this government and we know that councils and schools are facing pressures - that's why in December we provided an extra £250 million up to 2020 to help manage these costs. This takes the total amount that we have allocated for high needs funding to £6.3 billion this year, compared to £5 billion in 2013."

SEND protests were held at cities across the country, and a march was also held with a petition delivered to Downing Street.