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  "description": "A union is in dispute with Leicestershire County Council over controversial Send plans it claims will create a “systemic risk to the most vulnerable children”.",
  "path": "/union-enters-dispute-with-council-over-systemic-risks-to-most-vulnerable/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-15T04:00:18.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.leicester.news",
  "tags": [
    "****Leicester Gazette****",
    "Learn more",
    "__Click here for membership__",
    "__Click here for membership__"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\nThis story was written by the ****local democracy reporting service (LDRS),**** a BBC-funded scheme to improve the coverage of issues relating to local democracy. The ****Leicester Gazette**** has been a partner in the scheme since March 2024, and so receives some stories as part of it.\n\n Learn more \n\nThe National Education Union (NEU) has formally entered into the dispute with the council over what it calls a controversial “Action Plan” which relates to the potential removal of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) requirements from Early Years Send advisory roles.\n\nThe NEU has raised concerns about the proposal and asked “what do children with complex Send gain from the removal of qualified teachers?”\n\nThe council says the authority is reviewing how the service is delivered, with the proposals put forward in a bid “to reflect national changes and to ensure all children and families receive consistent, year‑round support”.\n\nHowever, the NEU claims the council is using “fire and rehire” tactics under the guise of a redundancy situation.\n\nThe union says the dispute focuses on the council's plan to delete current posts and recreate roles on a lower professional framework.\n\n## Be part of the story\n\nJoin our free mailing list to get local news and tips in your inbox every week.\n\nSubscribe for free\n\nEmail sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup.\n\n__No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Want to support our work?____Click here for membership__ __.__\n\nThe restructure coincides with the proposed closures to Send needs and disabilities nurseries – a move the NEU said is a “double hit” to Send.\n\nIt claims that combined, both create a “systemic risk where the most vulnerable children may have zero guaranteed access to a specialist teacher”.\n\nIn response, the county council noted that the early years and childcare team work with all providers across the county. If the proposals were to go ahead, the job roles for 14 staff would change to provide all year-round support to childcare settings and the children who attend.\n\nHowever, the union said the proposal “singles out the county’s most vulnerable children” and creates a “clear professional disparity” between early years and older children in the Send system.\n\nThe NEU claims there is a lack of transparency with the proposals, adding “the council has provided no professional evidence base, no impact analysis on Send outcomes, and no transparent benchmarking with neighbouring authorities – many of whom continue to invest in teacher-led services”.\n\nIan Marrey, NEU senior regional officer, said: “Removing QTS from this service is akin to removing professional qualifications from any other specialist role – it is a dangerous precedent that undermines the safety, safeguarding, and educational outcomes of children during their most formative years.\n\n“This is not a challenge to change: it is a challenge to the professional, legal, and ethical foundations of this proposal. Early years children are the least able to articulate their own needs. To position them as a group for whom reduced professional standards are acceptable is a failure of the council’s duty of care.”\n\nA Leicestershire County Council spokesperson said: “We are reviewing how the service is delivered to reflect national changes and to ensure all children and families receive consistent, year‑round support. The proposals are intended to strengthen the service and improve the help available by moving away from the current term‑time model, so support is available throughout the full year.\n\n“We are continuing to work closely with Trade Union representatives and will carefully consider any concerns they raise as part of this process.”\n\nThe NEU said it has informed that it intends to ballot its members for Industrial Action, calling on Leicestershire County Council to immediately withdraw the proposal and enter constructive negotiations.\n\n****If you enjoyed this article and want more great local journalism, here’s how to get it.****\n\nWe publish investigations, news features and human interest stories that go beyond the headlines. Our journalism is fact-based and rigorous, and we prize good writing over clickbait and sensationalism.\n\nOur readers get all our stories directly in their inbox every Monday morning via our free weekly newsletter. ****Use that button below to sign up for free.****\n\n__No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Want to support our work?____Click here for membership__ __.__\n\nSubscribe for free",
  "title": "Union enters dispute with council over ‘systemic risks to most vulnerable’",
  "updatedAt": "2026-02-15T04:00:18.000Z"
}