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A think tank has cautioned ministers that failing to reform the system supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) in England could result in an additional cost of £3bn annually by 2029. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has reported that the government is currently spending £12bn each year on Send support, showing a 66% increase over the past decade. By 2029, there could be an extra 220,000 children and young people with education, health, and care plans (EHCPs) under the current projections. Plans for reforming the Send system from the government are expected to be disclosed in the coming weeks.
The surge in the number of children receiving Send support in schools has been the driving force behind the significant increase in spending as described by the IFS. Pepe Di’Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, emphasized the inadequacy of the current system despite the rise in spending. Statistics reveal that one in five pupils in England, equivalent to 1.7 million students, receive special educational needs support in schools at present. Of this number, 482,000 pupils, amounting to 5.3% of all pupils, are provided with the highest level of support through individual EHCPs.
Local authorities have been burdened with significant debts due to the escalating costs of Send support. A forecast indicates that the total debt is projected to reach £5bn next year, prompting calls for the complete eradication of the debt. Amanda Hopgood, representing the Local Government Association, believes that wiping off the debt would stabilize councils financially and address outdated legislation contributing to rising and unsustainable costs. The IFS predicts a further increase in the proportion of pupils with EHCPs to reach 8% of all pupils aged four to 16 in the next four years.
Education Minister Georgia Gould has assured that there will always be a legal right to additional support despite potential reforms. While acknowledging the need for more early intervention and promoting the education of Send pupils in mainstream settings, the government faces challenges in balancing the financial implications. Concerns persist over mainstream schools’ ability to adequately support Send pupils, with calls for increased government efforts to ensure that children’s needs are met effectively
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