A YOUNG PERSON with severe learning difficulties has been given a place at a specialist educational needs school after a county council U-turn. Denny Black, four, of Hensingham was initially denied a place at Whitehaven s Mayfield School and was faced with attending a mainstream school, despite having highly complex needs. An ongoing Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provision crisis in West Cumbria means there is not enough funding to meet demand for the places needed. His mum Karen Stamper said: “I got a lot of help from Sally Godfrey, part of the SEND team and Ruth Ramsay.” Ruth had been in Karen’s position herself in 2019 when her son, who also has complex needs, was denied a place at Mayfield.