Urgent warning issued over 'billions of extra pounds' in costs for SEND support

Councils face billions of extra pounds in costs for special educational needs and disabilities provision by 2029 if urgent reforms are not carried out, a think-tank has warned

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Councils face billions of extra pounds in costs for special educational needs and disabilities provision by 2029 if urgent reforms are not carried out, a leading think-tank has warned.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) highlighted a “rapid rise” in high needs spending, with costs having shot up by 66% in schools since 2016.

It highlighted data showing one in 20 (5.2%) pupils aged under 16 in England have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), a legal right to support and the highest level of provision for children with SEND.

And one in 14 (7.2%) children receive child disability living allowance (CDLA), a cash benefit for children with disabilities, up from 3.4% a decade ago.

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The IFS warned spending on EHCPs and CDLA, which is now at £16 billion, is forecast to reach £21billion by 2029, more than twice the real-terms spend in 2016. High needs spending in schools is also expected to grow by a further £3billion by 2029.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is drawing up plans to overhaul the crisis-hit SEND system in a white paper this autumn. Parents are concerned it could mean changes to EHCPs, which offer a legal guarantee of tailored support to kids who need it.

The number of children with ECHPs has risen from 3% in 2018 to 5% but cash-strapped councils are struggling to foot the bill.

Darcey Snape, a research economist at IFS, said: “A forthcoming government White Paper is expected to set out reforms to Education, Health and Care Plans this autumn.

“Given that child disability living allowance has been left broadly unchanged since its introduction more than 30 years ago, there is a strong case for this being reviewed too.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “There is no doubt that the current SEND system is in need of reform.

“The solution lies not in artificially cutting entitlement to support for children who need help, but in the government investing more in early identification of children’s needs and support at a younger age, helping prevent more intensive intervention becoming necessary as they get older.”

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The truly shocking thing is that despite this increase in spending we are still left with a system that is failing to cope with the needs of these children and young people. Schools do not have sufficient funding and resources, assessments are commonly delayed, and families are left desperate and frustrated by the gaps in the system."

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children, Young People and Families Committee, said: “There is no doubt the current SEND system is not working and is not meeting the support needs of children and families.

“This is why we are calling for reform of the system, and for government to work with councils to tackle these challenges, while ensuring the voices of children and their families and heard and acted upon.”