Rows of Tiny Shoes to Line Truro’s County Hall in SEND Protest

Families Unite in Truro to Highlight SEND Failures

Families across Cornwall will come together outside Cornwall Council’s County Hall in Truro on Monday 3rd November for Every Pair Tells a Story – a national movement organised by The SEND Sanctuary UK in partnership with Let Us Learn Too and Let’s Make a Difference.

The symbolic event will see pairs of children’s shoes displayed along Treyew Road to represent every child in England who has been failed by the education system and their local authority.

Standing for Every Child

This national movement stands not only for children missing from education but for every child whose needs have been ignored, misunderstood or dismissed. It highlights those isolated in classrooms without proper support, pushed into unsuitable mainstream schools, or left waiting months and years for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) that are delayed, denied or disregarded.

“These shoes tell the stories of children who want to learn, play and be included,” said Aimee Bradley, founder of The SEND Sanctuary UK. “No child should be left behind because the system decided their needs were too complex or too inconvenient. This is about every child failed by broken promises and endless red tape.”

Each pair of shoes will serve as a visual reminder of exhaustion, heartbreak and the ongoing fight families face to secure basic rights to education, inclusion and respect.

A Growing Crisis in Cornwall

Cornwall, like many parts of England, continues to face severe pressures in its SEND services.

• The number of pupils with an EHCP has risen to over 5,000, an increase of more than 40 percent since 2019.

• Many families report waiting over 30 weeks for EHCP decisions, despite the legal 20-week deadline.

• A recent local council report confirmed that demand for specialist school placements now exceeds capacity, leaving hundreds of children without suitable provision.

Nationally, more than 600,000 children in England are identified as having special educational needs, with over 70,000 waiting for EHCPs.

A National Movement for Change

Every Pair Tells a Story follows the success of The Fight for Ordinary, a large-scale rally held in London earlier this year, which was attended by more than 800 parents and young people. The rally, also organised by The SEND Sanctuary UK, was supported by Sir Ed Davey MP and Helen Hayes MP, who pledged their backing for urgent improvements to SEND provision and meaningful reform that places families at the heart of the system.

This year’s campaign will see more than 70 local events held across England on the same day, each sharing the same message – to make visible the children and families left behind by a system that promises inclusion but too often delivers isolation.

Families Demand Action

Families are calling for urgent action and accountability from both local authorities and central government. With government SEND reforms expected soon, parents say they will not be silenced.

“The government must listen to parents,” Aimee added. “We are not the problem. We are the evidence of the problem. Our children deserve more than words. They deserve real change, and they deserve it now.”

Event Details

📅 Monday 3rd November 2025
🕥 10:30 AM – 1 PM
📍 Cornwall Council, County Hall, Treyew Road, Truro, TR1 3AY
👟 The public are welcome to attend or donate a pair of children’s shoes to be displayed on the day
💚 Organised by The SEND Sanctuary UK in partnership with Let Us Learn Too and Let’s Make a Difference

All donated shoes will be collected after the event and given to local charities supporting children and families in need.

About The SEND Sanctuary UK

The SEND Sanctuary UK is a national parent-led community of over 35,000 families campaigning for change, accountability and inclusion for children with special educational needs and disabilities.