Responding to the NAO report, Support for children and young people with special education needs, ADCS President, Andy Smith, said:
“The report highlights the systemic challenges facing the current SEND system, particularly its financial unsustainability. This is starkly highlighted by the fact that the government has increased high-needs funding by 58% over the last decade but with the exponential rise in the number of education, health, and care plans (EHCPs), the level funding per plan has actually decreased by 35% over this same period. The impending expiration of the current statutory override in March 2026, which allows councils to hold high-needs budget deficits off the balance sheet, poses an imminent financial risk to the financial sustainability of Councils.
While the system is unaffordable, it is also not delivering the outcomes we wish to see for our children and young people. As a result, many families and children have lost confidence in the system, which often fails to meet statutory expectations, and many children are worse off.
We cannot continue to view SEND and education as separate systems or believe that we can ‘fix SEND’. We need to reimagine a truly inclusive single education system which would enable the vast majority children to be educated in mainstream schools, alongside their peers. This will require courage and a major step change, and the government will need to bring parents, schools, and all stakeholders together on this journey, but it is the right thing to do for children.
Reform cannot happen overnight, but the government can take some short- to medium-term actions to help alleviate pressure within the system. It's essential for the government to view SEND as part of the broader single education system. There must be a cross-government approach to inclusive education, which involves identifying and addressing needs earlier. Together we need to develop a solid foundation for the necessary changes, with the best interests of our most vulnerable children and young people at the centre.”
ENDS