Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice today claimed there has been an ‘over-diagnosis’ of kids with SEND and said it was ‘insane’ to see children wearing ear defenders in classes
Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice has been accused of spreading ‘lies’(Image: PA)
Reform UK’s deputy leader has been accused of spreading “lies” about children with special educational needs and disabilities after spouting controversial claims at a press conference.
Richard Tice today claimed there has been an “over-diagnosis” of kids with SEND and said it was “insane” to see children wearing ear defenders in classrooms. Experts reacted with fury at the claims and warned “Reform have no understanding of the education system”.
The Boston and Skegness MP also suggested some parents were trying to make money through the SEND system. He said middle class families were “playing the game” by allegedly trying to save VAT on private school fees by getting an exemption through the SEND system.
And he complained other families were qualifying for a motability vehicle, which “sits on the drive whilst you demand a taxi to pick up your child and take it to school”. “This is insane, and we have to call it out,” he said.
In a speech and Q&A in Westminster, Mr Tice also ranted about the need to stop “labelling” children, seemingly criticising formal diagnoses. He said: “Just say you need a bit of extra support. You might need a bit of extra time.
READ MORE: Labour begged to make major change as dozens of stars join forces with new demandRichard Tice today claimed there has been an ‘over-diagnosis’ of kids with SEND(Image: PA)
“You’ve got to the mad situation now where children who don’t have any form of label are now starting to feel left out, that feeling that in inverted commas, they’re the ‘normal minority’. It’s insane, and it’s becoming a sort of school joke. And I just raise one more point, the sight of children in classes wearing ear defenders. I’m sorry, this is just insane. It’s got to stop.”
Ear defenders are ideal for some children with an autism diagnosis or sensory processing issues who are sensitive to noise and certain sounds. Henry Shelford, chief executive officer of ADHD UK, said: “Some autistic people need to turn the volume down in the same way that some people with hearing issues need to turn the volume up. I assume we can expect Richard Tice to rail against kids with hearing aids next week?”
Mr Tice also criticised young people receiving medication for conditions, suggesting pharmaceutical companies or psychologists might support this due to their own interests. He recounted a case of someone he knows who was “successful” all through school but then was “told you’ve got a problem in your 20s, which requires medication, and that might be for the long term”.
The MP said: “You start to question, what’s going on here? Is it a vested interest in pharma companies? Is it a vested interest of the psychologists wanting more work?” He clarified that he must not “generalise” and that there are cases where medication is “appropriate”, but said: “There’s an over-diagnosis, there’s an over-medication, and we have to ask deep, searching questions on what’s going on here.”
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Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education System, said: “Reform have no understanding of the education system, the lives of SEND students or what schools really need to be inclusive. SEND young people in school need more not fewer reasonable adjustments, such as wearing ear defenders and having additional time to complete assessments and exams.
“Richard Tice is wrong to say that school leaders and teachers are against inclusion when that is the opposite of what NEU members are telling us. They are doing all that they can to include every child. “
Kate Lawson, Head of Policy at the national disability charity Sense, said: “Comments suggesting that children are being ‘over-diagnosed’, or that simple adjustments like ear defenders are ‘insane’, are deeply unhelpful and risk dismissing the real challenges disabled children face every single day.
“The reality is not that too many children are being labelled – but that too many children are being failed. Years of underfunding have left the SEND system at breaking point, with families forced to battle for the basic support for their children to learn in school.
“For many disabled children, adjustments such as ear defenders are not a ‘joke’ – they are essential tools that help them manage sensory overload, avoid distress, and stay included in the classroom. Rather than questioning diagnoses or the needs of disabled children, we should focus on fixing a system in crisis.”
Joey Nettleton Burrows, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the National Autistic Society, said: “To suggest parents are making money from SEND children’s needs is a new low. Parents aren’t profiting from the education system, they are spending time and money fighting against a broken SEND system, just to get the most basic support at school.”
He added: “Claiming there is “overdiagnosis” couldn’t be further from the truth. The system needs reform to meet the needs of all children, so that SEND children, including autistic young people, can access a suitable school place and thrive. Spreading these kinds of lies stigmatises autistic people and makes life harder for them and their families.”
