Published on: 09/09/19
The government has announced they are launching a major review into support for children with special educational needs (SEN). Publications including inews, Guardian, edexec have stated that families, schools and colleges still need more help and funding to give children with SEN the support they need to succeed in mainstream schools and colleges. There is a feeling that inclusivity in schools needs to improve to ensure that all children are given the same opportunities for success.
An extra £700 million has been pledged in 2020/21 but the National Education Union has highlighted that still leaves schools £1bn short of what is needed to ease the pressures and get the right support in place. Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “73% [in a recent survey of members of primary and secondary schools] confirmed that since 2017 there had been a drop in the number of teaching assistants, as a direct consequence of funding pressures.”
There is an emphasis on value for money but with the aim to boost outcomes of the review.
Minister for Care Caroline Dinenage said: “The support and care for people with special educational needs and disabilities is one of my top priorities. The SEND review will be crucial in widening our knowledge of the parts of the system which are working well and the areas which need improvement.
“The Department for Health and Social Care will play a key role in the review so we can ensure that high quality healthcare support is available for all throughout the country.”
Since the introduction of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) in 2014 there has been an increase in numbers of children recorded with SEND in England. Just over 1.3 million of the pupil population in England have special educational needs, 15% of the pupil population, according to the Department for Education. With a year-on-year increase over the last three years of pupils with an EHC plan families have suffered long delays to receive a diagnosis. This has meant families were delayed in receiving the right support. Local authorities and schools have also had to deal with funding shortages and cuts which have limited their ability to support children with SEN appropriately.
Kevin Courtney continued: “The NEU will continue to campaign for schools to get the funding they require to give children the education they deserve.”
