TORBAY parents whose children are being educated outside the school system are suffering crisis and stress as a result of a new ‘pathway’ designed to help them, it has been claimed.

The parents are now calling on Torbay Council to find a way to rebuild the trust that has been lost as a result.

The council, meanwhile, says it is doing all it can to make sure the children get all the services they need.

The issue was raised by Shaan Ellor during public question time before a full meeting of the council.

She said families had hoped that a recent Ofsted report which said too many of Torbay’s children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) had poor experiences and outcomes would be a turning point.

But, she added: “Families hoped that it would lead to real action and improvements. Instead, to the shock of many, provision has actually deteriorated further since the inspection.”

Ms Ellor said the local group Mums Supporting Better Futures had raised concerns about the new pathway, saying it had been brought in without proper consultation and communication.

They said the new timetables for their children were not made individually for them, and families were having difficulty applying for funds. Some teaching was taking place in Totnes and Newton Abbot rather than in the bay.

“The result is delay, crisis, and huge stress for families already under strain,” she said.

“Children were moved from one provision to another without proper planning or handover. This is deeply concerning, especially for children who struggle with change and rely on trusted relationships.”

Cllr Nick Bye (Con, Wellswood) is the council’s cabinet member for children’s services.

He said: “Ofsted makes it absolutely clear that we have to improve our offer for children who are educated other than at school, and the way forward is to ensure a better provision for those young people and children who are our future in the bay.”

The new programme ensures that English, maths, and science can be delivered by specialists, he said, meaning a high quality offer and better outcomes.

“The other parts of the programme are highly individualised, with providers being chosen to match young people’s needs according to their specialisms,” he said.

“We understand that any change can be challenging for some families, but are confident that once transitions have been completed that this programme will offer a much higher quality provision with better outcomes for our young people.”