Responding following the new report from The Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP) urging the government not to restrict access to Education Health and Care Plan for children with special educational needs, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Too many children are being let down by the current system. Significant numbers of parents face long waits for plans, a postcode lottery in support depending on how much funding their local authority offers schools, and a lack of availability of specialist staff

“However, families and schools will need to be confident that support for their children is easily accessible before the existing incentive to seek an Education Health and Care Plan diminishes.

“Really significant additional investment is needed in core school budgets, specialist staff, and wider health and social care services to enable schools to provide earlier support, with or without a statutory plan, which can be sustained and scaled up if needed.”