By Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Esson
Specialist SEND teaching staff are striking today (February 25) over claims they’ve been sidelined following “unacceptable” changes to their roles.
The Specialist Learning & Teaching Service (SLTS) works alongside schools, nurseries and childminders across the county to help with their special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.
In September, Kent County Council (KCC) brought those staff who were previously employed separately by 12 different special schools in-house.
But the National Education Union (NEU), which represents more than 60 of them, says that since then the service has been “withheld” from schools, with teachers encouraged to work from home and not with individual students.
It says that the decision is leading to children, schools and families losing out.
The NEU also claims the council failed to consult staff on what it described as “unacceptable changes to the service and staff working conditions.”
A strike ballot of the 60-plus SLTS staff the union represents had an 86% turnout, with 93% voting to strike tomorrow (February 25).
Nick Childs, a senior organiser for the NEU, said: “These staff have been brought in-house without a proper consultation on how this would affect their jobs and the service that they so passionately believe in.
“The staff have asked for proper consultation, they have asked for the substantial changes to their jobs to be recognised in their job descriptions, and they have asked for the employer to support with redeployment.
“So far, despite these asks being entirely reasonable, the council have failed to offer any of this, fundamentally failing in its obligations as an employer.”
Mr Childs continued: “STLS staff are currently not permitted to work with individual students, with their expertise being mothballed by KCC, leading to children, schools and families losing out.
“We demand KCC to fully deploy this vital service going forward, utilising the full breadth of skills, knowledge and expertise within this team of specialist teachers.”
The union says that when the service was taken over by KCC in September, staff were “told to stay at home and were prevented from speaking to anyone, including service partners”.
But a KCC spokesperson says that the staff were not working directly in schools because, after being taken back over by KCC, they had to get renewed Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
The spokesperson added that they were told that, in the meantime, they could either work from home or from an office.
Jamie Pout, NEU branch secretary in Kent and independent member of Dover District Council, said: “These are senior teachers who support all schools, nurseries and childminders across Kent, supporting fellow professionals with children and young people with SEND.
“They provide advice after detailed observations, undertake assessments, give feedback to parents, provide strategies, and ensure inclusion for these children in education.
“Given the rise in numbers of pupils with SEND, this service is needed more than ever to provide support and training.
“Since September STLS teachers have been prevented from supporting parents, for a large chunk of time worked from home whilst KCC figured out what to do with the new team, teachers are being discouraged from working with individual students, and their expertise is being wasted.
“Children, families and schools are losing out.”
Cllr Beverley Fordham (Reform UK), cabinet member for education at KCC said: “SLTS staff were brought into KCC on 1 September 2025 from 12 different employers and we are working to support their integration into KCC.
“Between 2023 and 2025, SEN and Inclusion services at KCC worked to improve the support they offer mainstream schools so it better matches changing needs.
“STLS was involved in this work before the transfer to KCC and this work is still ongoing.
“This is a valued service for schools, and we look forward to resolving any differences in the near future.”
The striking NEU members are planning to protest outside KCC’s county hall headquarters, in Maidstone, this morning (Wednesday February 25).
A KCC spokesperson said no school closures or disruptions were expected as a result of the action.
