Responding to a new report from the Sutton Trust which found children with special educational needs (SEND) from poorer homes are less likely to secure an Education Health Care and Plan, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“While there have been big increases in the number of children with additional needs, years of cuts to services offering early help to families, followed by the pandemic, may have had a particular impact on young people from poorer backgrounds.

“The system has been unable to cope with demand, and government funding for SEND has not increased by nearly enough - meaning resources for schools to provide support have frequently been spread more thinly, exacerbating a situation in which parents too often feel they have to fight for EHCPs.

“Support should be based on children’s needs, not where in the country they happen to live, the ability of their parents to make the case, or whether or not they have an EHCP - which given shortages of funding and specialist staff is far from a silver bullet to ensure pupils get all the help they need.

“That’s why we want the government’s proposed reforms to the SEND system to invest in schools, social care and health services to ensure all families get earlier help to identify emerging issues and put in place support before there is even a need for a plan.”