Model Christine McGuinness condemns remarks on SEN children made by Kent County Councillor Simon Webb

Model and TV presenter Christine McGuinness has joined in the outrage at comments made by KCC councillor Simon Webb (Con) about parents of disabled children.

Cllr Webb, who represents Maidstone Rural West division, was speaking in a debate on SEN provision at County Hall, when suggested some parents only applied for an educational health and care plan (EHCP) for their child because it was the ‘in thing’ to do.

He said: “Where are the gatekeepers? If I am a parent who thinks that their child needs an EHCP, because that’s the in thing to do as a parent these days, who is going to turn around and say no?”

His comments had already upset many Kent parents, with some calling for his resignation.

Emma Ben Moussa from Swanscombe, who has a seven year-old-son with additional needs, said she was shocked.

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She said: “I find his comment disgusting and completely unnecessary. I highly doubt a parent of a disabled child in his ward is feeling anything less than furious right now.”

Ms McGuinness became aware of Cllr Webb’s comments after a video from the meeting went viral with hundreds of thousands of views on Instagram.

She posted her own response on social media, saying: “Obviously there was no-one with personal experience, the heartache, the endless hours of applying for an EHCP in that room (the council chamber).’

At the same meeting, Sarah Hudson, the Conservative councillor for Malling Rural East division, said: “There are families who have never, even once, taken their own child to school because the state pays for a cab to take them.

“’Even though it might only be just up the road and they are perfectly capable of doing it themselves because neither of them work.

‘They are deliberately choosing that route because they see all the add-ons that go with it and they think, ‘This is bloody good. Let’s go for it.’”

Ms McGuiness has three children Leo, Penelope and Felicity, who are all autistic. She was recenty diagnosed to be autistic herself.

She wrote: “Sadly we still have a long way to go in changing the system. But never give up, never stop fighting for what our children need and deserve.”

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Parents of children with special needs are joining a protest in London on June 21 organised by a mum from Aylesford, near Maidstone. Lisa Lloyd, 39, has two children, Finley, nine, and Poppy, six, who are both autistic and have EHCPs.

She labelled Cllr Webb’s comments “disgusting.”

She said the whole SEN and EHCP provision was broken and needed fixing. She said children with EHCP were deserved specialist school 1:1 care to thrive in life.

The protest will take place at Parliament Gardens between 11am and 3pm.

Kent PACT, a parent carer forum set up for parents of children and young adults with disabilities and additional needs, said it was “shocked and disgusted” at the comments made by elected council members.

A spokesman for the organisation said: “We have written to the committee chair requesting a formal apology to SEND families and until significant changes are made we will no longer be attending meetings.”