Specialist teachers from the Kent County Council support team began a strike in Sittingbourne, Kent, on 25 February 2026. The staff members are protesting changes to their roles that they claim prevent them from working directly with students or meeting with parents.
The walkout follows a vote where 93 per cent of National Education Union members supported the action. Staff members gathered for a demonstration at County Hall in Maidstone to express concerns that their expertise is being sidelined since the service was moved directly under council control in September 2025.
The local support team based at Meadowfield School in Sittingbourne provides help to 58 schools and 73 early years settings across the district. More strike days have been set for 4 and 5 March 2026, and between 10 and 12 March 2026, which may cause further disruption for families who rely on specialist teaching support.
Kent County Council stated that staff were initially unable to visit schools because they required new background checks after their employment was transferred to the council. The council also confirmed it sent a proposal to the union on 24 February 2026 to try and stop the strike, but officials say they did not receive a response before the walkout began.
Families in the Sittingbourne area who need advice during the disruption can contact Information, Advice and Support Kent at 03000 41 3000. The council has also opened a help hub for special educational needs enquiries at 03000 41 11 11.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
