Urgent Call for SEND System Overhaul: Preventing a £3bn Crisis by 2029!

Supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England faces a crucial turning point, as recent warnings from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) indicate that costs could surge by £3 billion annually by 2029 unless immediate reforms are implemented. Currently, the government allocates £12 billion to SEND support, reflecting a 66% increase in spending over the past decade.

With projections suggesting an additional 220,000 children and young people will enter the system by 2029, the increasing financial burden highlights systemic failures in meeting the needs of these vulnerable groups. Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, expresses alarm over the inefficiency of the current SEND system, which, in his view, is not effectively supporting the children who rely on it.

At present, 1 in 5 pupils in England, equating to 1.7 million students, receives some form of SEND support, with approximately 482,000 children (or 5.3% of total pupils) requiring more specialized support via Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs). The rise in demand has pushed many local councils into severe debt, anticipating a deficit of £5 billion as the government’s financial agreements allow councils to overlook these expenses.

Amanda Hopgood, from the Local Government Association, argues for a comprehensive legislative overhaul to alleviate outdated regulations that contribute to the financial strain on councils. The IFS forecasts that the proportion of students with EHCPs will climb to 8% in the next four years.

In response to the pressing need for reform, Education Minister Georgia Gould assures that the rights to additional support for students with special needs will remain protected, placing children’s and families’ needs at the forefront of future policy revisions. The government aims for enhanced early intervention strategies and increased integration of SEND pupils into mainstream schools, which is notably less expensive than special education settings — with costs soaring to £61,500 annually per child in independent schools.

Success stories emerge, such as that of Colby, a seven-year-old thriving in a specialist area within a mainstream school, yet parents like his grandmother feel the current provision remains inadequate. Claire, the mother of another SEND student, stresses that mainstream schools require more tailored training to manage the unique needs of these children effectively.

Kate Cowdroy, head of the Launchpad program, emphasizes that while children can achieve remarkable progress in supportive environments, many mainstream schools lack the necessary funding and resources, often setting students up for failure.

The article concludes with implications of an impending government response, signaling a pivotal moment for SEND reforms that could impact the future of educational support for millions of children.