Almost 50% of parents are worried about approaching changes to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, research has found.

According to the charity Sense’s poll of 1,000 parents and family carers of disabled children with complex needs, 49% feel nervous about the upcoming SEND reforms, and 46% revealed they are concerned about their child’s support being taken away.

A further 47% of respondents confirmed they found the process of acquiring SEND support stressful, while 40% have had to reduce their working hours because of a lack of adequate support for their child. Nearly 35% were found to have left their jobs altogether for the same reasons.

With reforms to the SEND system looming, parents told Sense that they feared their children’s legal protections could be diminished as a result of the overhaul, with nearly 34% saying they do not feel politicians have their child’s wellbeing at the heart of decisions.

The charity has urged ministers to fully understand and address the needs of children with SEND in the upcoming reforms, cautioning that ‘disabled children risk being left even further behind’ if sufficient funding and robust legal rights are not delivered.

James Watson-O’Neill, chief executive of the national disability charity Sense, said ‘it’s little surprise that parents feel deep anxiety and distrust about the upcoming education reforms. If their children’s legal rights are weakened any further or there’s an attempt to cut spending, the consequences could be devastating.’

He added: ‘Instead, the Government must listen to families and use this moment to build a properly funded SEND system, where children’s legal rights to education are protected.’

To assist these aims, Mr Watson-O’Neill called for joined-up workforce strategy and sustained investment in professionals who support the learning of children with SEND.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: ‘Our reforms will restore parents' trust by fixing what isn’t working in the system. We’re ending the postcode lottery by strengthening support for those who need it and protecting parents’ rights – shaped directly by the views and experiences of those who know the system best.

‘We are laying the groundwork for an inclusive education system where children are supported at the earliest stage and can thrive in a school that meets their needs, close to home – including through £200m to train all teachers on SEND and at least £3bn to create 50,000 new specialist places.’