Councils are facing significant additional costs for special educational needs and disabilities provision in the coming years if crucial reforms are not implemented, as warned by a prominent think-tank. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has drawn attention to a sharp increase in high needs spending, which has surged by 66% in schools since 2016.
Data highlighted by the IFS reveals that 5.2% of pupils under 16 in England have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), providing them with legal entitlement to support at the highest level for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Additionally, 7.2% of children now receive child disability living allowance (CDLA), a financial benefit for children with disabilities, marking a rise from 3.4% a decade ago.
The IFS has cautioned that current spending on EHCPs and CDLA stands at £16 billion and is projected to reach £21 billion by 2029, more than double the expenditure in 2016. It is anticipated that high needs spending in schools will increase by an additional £3 billion by 2029.
In response to these challenges, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is formulating plans to revamp the struggling SEND system through a white paper scheduled for release this autumn. Concerns have been raised by parents regarding potential changes to EHCPs, which provide a legal assurance of tailored support to children in need.
The percentage of children with ECHPs has climbed from 3% in 2018 to 5%, placing financial strains on cash-strapped councils. Darcey Snape, a research economist at IFS, has indicated that a government White Paper expected this autumn will propose reforms to Education, Health and Care Plans. There is also a call for a review of the child disability living allowance, which has remained largely unchanged for over three decades.
Various education stakeholders have expressed the urgent need for reform to address the inadequacies of the current SEND system and better meet the support requirements of children and families. The consensus is for the government to collaborate with councils to address these challenges effectively, ensuring that the voices of children and families are heard and heeded.
