SEN parents face “lonely and uncertain journey” accessing childcare, study warns

Parents of young children with special educational needs and disabilities can face a “lonely and uncertain journey” trying to find childcare and preschool education, a new study finds.

Families of babies and toddlers with SEND face navigating complex and fragmented systems of support when trying to search for suitable childcare, often at a considerable emotional cost.

The research shows how much mothers depend on informal support and emotional reassurance from individual nursery workers. This includes interpreting official communications, referrals to specialist support and trying to find and pick appropriate childcare options.

Many of those who took part in the research said they lacked a “conceptual map” that would allow them to identify, name or understand what was happening to their child. They were uncertain about what support is available and appropriate. This can make them feel lost, delay them seeking help and make it harder to assess appropriate support.

The study highlights a paradox: while an official diagnosis may help some families access provision and practitioners better understand the child’s needs, it can also inadvertently create barriers where providers might be unable to accommodate a child with a diagnosed developmental condition, or when families hesitate to disclose the child’s needs due to fears of stigma or being unable to secure a place.  

The study was carried out by Angeliki Kallitsoglou, Kristi Dingwall and Rebecca Georgis from the University of Exeter and Cristina Motoca from Alton Community Playschool. The study was funded by British Educational Research Association 2025/26 Small Grants Fund on the theme ‘researching additional support needs/special educational needs and disabilities’ in educational settings.

Researchers interviewed 11 mothers whose children were mostly aged between two and four and 13 nursery or childcare practitioners.

One child had an education, health and care plan, and four children were in the process of obtaining one. Four children had a diagnosis of or suspected autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and two of these children also had suspected attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Three of the remaining seven children had non-formally diagnosed speech, language and communication difficulties, one had global developmental delay, one had glue ear.

Dr Kallitsoglou said: “The experience of accessing early years education or childcare for families with children with identified or emerging SEND can be a lonely and uncertain journey that places a significant emotional burden on mothers as they navigate a complex, fragmented and poorly signposted system.

“For many, preschools and nurseries are important information and support hubs, especially for lone mothers, those who are less confident in advocating for their child and those with limited access to support networks. However, this support is provided inconsistently and often depends on practitioners going above and beyond, underscoring the need for more coordinated and systemic support.”

The researchers advise that the Government’s new Best Start Family Hubs policy provides an opportunity to offer families with children with identified or emerging SEND meaningful brokerage and system navigation support  and to facilitate better collaboration and communication across early years childcare and education and health and social care to reduce fragmentation and ensure a coherent and joined-up system of support.

They call for a shift to needs-led rather than formal diagnosis-led support in early years practice, specifically in relation to how SEND support is funded and accessed, and for the early years workforce to be equipped in their role as trusted sources of family support through training inclusive, relational, trauma-informed practice.