Commenting as the government announces they will fund research into new tools to help identify children with special educational needs and disabilities earlier, ahead of the White Paper on SEND next year, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said:

“Early identification and intervention is key to ensure SEND support maximises the benefits for children with additional needs, so any investment into this is very welcome. By also investing in building specialist service capacity and improving coordination with health and social care, these tools could bring significant improvements to the support schools, health and social care can provide for those children who need it most.”