Children's shoes to be left outside council offices in protest against SEND crisis

On Monday, November 3 at 10.30am, parents and families across 92 local authority areas in England and Scotland will gather outside council offices to take part in the Every Pair Tells a Story campaign.

The campaign is seen as a protest to highlight the national crisis in SEND provision.

Empty pairs of children’s shoes will be displayed outside Council offices 'to represent every child across England who has been failed by the education system and their local authority'.

According to the campaign organisers, it will be a "silent, fully inclusive event" which will involve no walking or protesting, and simply seeks to highlight each child "whose story deserves to be seen and heard".

At 1pm, all shoes that remain will be collected and donated to charity.

Every Pair Tells a Story has been organised by The SEND Sanctuary UK, conjunction with Let us Learn Too and Let's Make a Difference.

SEND Sanctuary UK is a parent-led community of more than 35,000 families who campaign for "change, accountability and inclusion for children with SEND".

Let Us Learn Too is an alliance of disabled people, national and local charities, parent and carer groups, academics, and individuals that support the rights of disabled children and young people, which advocates for disabled children and young people to be able to access education that meets their needs. Let's Make a Difference is a social media campaign launched three years ago to "raise awareness of communication challenges faced by individuals, particularly those with selective mutism and other communication difficulties".