SEND in the Spotlight Podcast: Woman’s Hour Launches Powerful New Series on Special Educational Needs
A brand-new podcast from BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour is gearing up to place the UK’s crumbling SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) system under a magnifying glass. “SEND in the Spotlight”, hosted by award-winning broadcaster Nuala McGovern, launches on 8 December, promising one of the most comprehensive examinations of SEND support ever produced for mainstream media.
This ambitious new podcast pulls back the curtain on the lived experiences of children, young people, families, educators, health professionals, and policy makers who have been wrestling with an overstretched, under-resourced system for more than a decade. With SEND need rising dramatically, the series hopes to bring clarity, accountability, and—crucially—change.
Why Woman’s Hour Is Turning Its Lens Toward SEND
For many families across England, SEND support is no longer merely a policy issue—it has become a crisis affecting childhoods, mental health, household finances, and long-term wellbeing.
Between 2015 and 2025, the number of children requiring SEND support in England jumped from 1.3 million to an unprecedented 1.7 million, representing one of the biggest increases in demand the education sector has ever faced.
The result? A system widely described as:
Adversarial
Overwhelmed
Under-funded
Bureaucratically complex
Unequal from region to region
Emotionally and financially draining for families
As Woman’s Hour Editor Karen Dalziel puts it:
“SEND is now one of the most pressing issues for our audience. Families, professionals, and public services are stretched to breaking point.”
This new podcast aims to unravel that complexity, episode by episode.
What “SEND in the Spotlight” Brings to the Conversation
A Groundbreaking Deep Dive Into Real Lives
Hosted by Nuala McGovern, the podcast humanises the crisis by highlighting:
Personal stories from families navigating EHCPs, tribunals, and school placements
Emotional testimonies from young people with SEND
Experiences from teachers, SENCOs, social workers, and therapists
Insights from policy experts shaping the future of SEND
Open discussions with high-profile parents, including actors Anna Maxwell Martin and Kellie Bright
Each episode addresses a major pressure point in the system, combining journalism, lived experience, data, and expert commentary.
Episode Themes: What Listeners Can Expect
SEND in the Spotlight will explore several urgent areas of concern. Among the topics lined up:
Why are services becoming increasingly inconsistent?
2. The Rising Demand for SEND Support
Why has the number of children needing support risen so fast?
Are changes in diagnosis, awareness, or societal expectations driving the increase?
3. EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans)
A practical guide for families
Why applications take months—or years
Why tribunals have become the norm rather than the exception
4. School Transport
Why home-to-school transport is now one of the biggest pain points for councils
The impact on families’ daily lives
Safety, funding, and accessibility issues
5. SEND in Mainstream Classrooms
Are mainstream schools equipped—or willing—to meet need?
How teachers are coping with rising complexity
Training gaps and staffing challenges
6. Navigating Public Spaces: Festivals, Holidays, Day Trips
Sensory overload
Accessibility challenges
Preparing children with SEND for unfamiliar environments
Practical advice from families and experts
7. The Upcoming Schools White Paper
What reforms are expected?
Will they deliver real change—or just more paperwork?
Why This Podcast Matters Now
SEND has long been described as “the silent emergency”, with families forced to fight intensely for even basic support. The growing emotional and financial toll is staggering:
Parents routinely give up work to navigate the system full-time
Children are missing months or years of schooling
Tribunals are at record highs, with councils losing roughly 90% of cases brought by families
Teachers report burnout as they struggle without adequate resources
Local authorities warn of unsustainable cost pressures year after year
Yet despite countless parliamentary reports, inquiries, and consultations, meaningful reform has stalled.
In launching this series, Woman’s Hour aims to give a national platform to those most affected—and to ask uncomfortable questions of those in power.
The Human Stories Behind SEND
The involvement of well-known parents, including BAFTA-winning actor Anna Maxwell Martin and EastEnders star Kellie Bright, adds a unique emotional depth. Their willingness to speak openly about SEND challenges helps cut through political jargon and highlights the exhausting realities many families face.
Their stories touch on:
Endless form-filling
Long waits for diagnosis
Being dismissed or misunderstood by professionals
The fear of their child being left behind
The emotional exhaustion of fighting a system built on bureaucracy
These perspectives resonate with tens of thousands of families experiencing the same battles.
A Call for Accountability and Systemic Reform
Each episode interrogates what is currently working—and why so much is failing. Key questions explored include:
What is causing delays in assessments and placements?
Why is funding not reaching the children who need it most?
What is being done to address workforce shortages?
Are local authorities equipped to manage rising demand?
How can a child’s postcode still determine their level of support?
The series aims not just to highlight problems, but to push for:
Transparency
Fairness
Adequate funding
National consistency
Policy change
And, above all, a system designed around children, not bureaucracy.
Voices Shaping the Conversation
The podcast features contributions from:
Families and Carers: sharing daily realities, triumphs, and heartbreaks
Educators: describing the strain on schools and staff
Therapists and Clinicians: explaining gaps in provision
Policy Experts: breaking down the structural causes of failure
Advocacy Organisations: pushing for legislative reform
Local Authority Leaders: addressing budget challenges and public pressure
Nuala McGovern on the Mission Behind the Series
Host Nuala McGovern emphasises the podcast’s central purpose:
“I want to create a space where families can speak their truth, where their experiences matter, and where we collectively imagine a better SEND system. And I intend to hold decision-makers to account.”
Woman’s Hour Editor Karen Dalziel: “It’s Time for Straight Talk”
Dalziel adds:
“Expect sharp insight, bold conversations, and practical guidance. SEND in the Spotlight is about understanding the system we have—and building the system children deserve.”
The BBC encourages parents, carers, and professionals to contribute their insights as the series evolves.
Why This Podcast Could Become Essential Listening in 2025
With demand for SEND support at an all-time high, a public conversation of this scale has never been more necessary. Woman’s Hour is stepping into a crucial gap—connecting policy with humanity, journalism with lived experience, and exposing the urgent reforms needed to rebuild trust in a strained system.
“SEND in the Spotlight” is not just another podcast—it could become a driving force in shaping the national conversation about SEND for years to come.
