Will Forster Backs Calls to Designate SEND Services as “Critical Infrastructure” to Stop Offshore Profiteering

Will Forster, Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, has backed new proposals to strengthen legal protections and prevent private equity firms and offshore investors from profiting from Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services.

The plans, announced ahead of the government’s upcoming SEND White Paper, would designate SEND provision as Critical National Infrastructure, a status currently reserved for essential services like water and energy, allowing the government to intervene and block acquisitions that put profit before vulnerable children. In Woking and across Surrey, SEND costs are placing growing pressure on local resources. Nationally, spending on private providers has risen sharply in recent years, raising concerns about council budgets and the long-term sustainability of support for families.

Woking MP Will Forster has been a vocal advocate for vulnerable children across Woking and Surrey, raising serious concerns in Parliament about failures in children’s services. He has spoken about constituents who struggled to secure support for their children with special educational needs, despite repeated pleas for aid. His advocacy has highlighted the real impact behind policy decisions, and the urgent need to ensure that children receive the protection, stability, and care they deserve. 

Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, Will Forster, commented: 

“It is appalling that while parents in Woking are fighting tooth and nail for the support their children deserve, offshore investors are raking in millions in profit from our local council.

“Private equity funds have, for years, shamelessly exploited a loophole in the system, funnelling money overseas into shareholders' pockets and away from vital frontline care. 

“By designating SEND as critical infrastructure, we can ensure that public money stays where it is needed - supporting our most vulnerable children rather than lining the pockets of sovereign wealth funds in Abu Dhabi or private firms in Europe.”

The Liberal Democrats argue that designating SEND provision as Critical National Infrastructure would strengthen oversight, protect families, and ensure decisions about SEND services are made in the best interests of children and communities.