# UK is losing out on best minds because of SEND failures, Rory Bremner warns

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/uk-is-losing-out-on-best-minds-because-of-send-failures-rory-bremner-warns/
- Published: 2026-11-11T15:56:10+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-11T21:43:13+00:00
- Original publisher: The Independent (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/special-educational-needs-rory-bremner-b3083007.html
- Topics: Elections, Government, Politics, UK, World

## Key points

- Bremner warns SEND support failures waste talent.
- He opposes assuming mainstream education suits every child.
- The campaign has backing from MPs across five parties.

## Summary

Rory Bremner says failures in support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) risk wasting their abilities and contributing to poor outcomes later in life. Ahead of a cross-party campaign launch in Parliament, he has criticised plans that presume mainstream schooling is best for every child, arguing some need specialist provision.

Bremner, who was diagnosed with severe ADHD as an adult, cites findings that young people with SEND are about 80 per cent more likely to be not in education or full-time training, and government estimates that up to half of adult prisoners may be neurodivergent. Around one in five schoolchildren are identified as having special educational needs, while Department for Education research found 15 per cent of teachers would not feel confident identifying SEND. He says neurodivergent people can bring valuable strengths to fields including technology and the arts.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.