Statement from Councillor Brent Carter, Leader of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council

I am aware of conversations circulating online regarding Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision in Merthyr Tydfil, so I’d like to provide some clarity on the Council’s position.

A letter was issued to schools on 28 January 2026 by the Director of Education, and we acknowledge that both the tone and timing of this communication has unfortunately caused upset among families. We regret any distress that this may have caused. The original letter was intended to ask for collaboration between families and schools, and to outline how to address concerns and questions.

I want to reassure residents that we are listening. Your views are incredibly important to us, so a broader review of safeguarding and ALN-related complaints has now been escalated to senior leadership level. We recognise that the reports referenced by multiple families warrant a deeper examination of our current systems and their effectiveness.

We value the feedback from our community and remain dedicated to improving how we serve the children and families of Merthyr Tydfil.