Ethnic minority families face additional education barriers
2 mins read
Wednesday 6 May 2026
This advice applies in England only.
Across England, there is long-standing evidence of ethnic disproportionality in identification of special education needs and disability (SEND), access to support, and outcomes. However, the intersection of ethnicity and SEND is complex, and the reasons behind ethnic disproportionality are not clear.
A recent Contact research project set out to examine the experiences of education of London families with children with SEND from ethnic minority backgrounds and explore any inequalities in experiences between ethnic groups. The project sought to hear directly from parents about their experiences. And it aimed to understand how statutory services and charities such as Contact can improve their support for families.
The SEND system must provide inclusive support
The research, commissioned by Contact and funded by the City Bridge Foundation, found that:
- Parents face significant challenges navigating the SEND system.
- Ethnicity intersects with other challenges to exacerbate inequalities.
- Trusted, culturally sensitive and empowering support makes a substantial difference.
- The SEND system must provide inclusive, proactive and culturally responsive support.
The research’s recommendations are also set within the context of the recent schools white paper, ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’, and propose ways the reforms could go further to improve the system for families from minority backgrounds.
Read the findings in full
You can read the findings in full and download all the reports on our research project webpage.