Campaigners urge Government to keep care plans for children with Send
Asked on Sunday whether ministers were looking to phase out education, health and care plans (EHCPs), Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said 'we will strengthen and put in place better support for children' and promised a schools white paper in the autumn.
In a letter shared with the Guardian, campaigners have said that without the documents in mainstream schools, 'many thousands of children risk being denied vital provision, or losing access to education altogether'.
They said: 'For more than 40 years, children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities have had a statutory right to an education that meets their needs.
'Set alongside catastrophic plans to cut benefits for disabled people, this raises the question of who we are as a country and the kind of society in which we want to live.
'Whatever the Send system's problems, the answer is not to remove the rights of children and young people. Families cannot afford to lose these precious legal protections.
Signatories to the letter include the heads of charities, professors, Send parents including actor Sally Phillips, and campaigners including broadcaster Chris Packham.
Ms Phillipson was asked whether she could rule out getting rid of EHCPs.
Speaking to the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, she described it as a 'complex and sensitive area'.
'What I can say very clearly is that we will strengthen and put in place better support for children,' she said.
'I've been spending a lot of time listening to parents, to disability rights groups, to campaigners and to others and to colleagues across Parliament as well, because it's important to get this right,' she added, but said it is 'tough'.
Data from the Department for Education released in June indicated that the number of EHCPs has increased.
In total, there were 638,745 EHCPs in place in January 2025, up 10.8% on the same point last year.
The number of new plans which started during 2024 also grew by 15.8% on the previous year, to 97,747.
Requests for children to be assessed for EHCPs rose by 11.8% to 154,489 in 2024.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'The evidence is clear that this government inherited a Send system left on its knees – which is why we are looking at changes to improve support for children and stop parents having to fight for help.
'We have been clear that there are no plans to abolish Send tribunals, or to remove funding or support from children, families and schools.
'This government is actively working with parents and experts on the solutions, including more early intervention to prevent needs from escalating and £740 million to encourage councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
43 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Is Send the next battleground for Labour?
Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss why backbenchers and campaigners are already gearing up for another fight, this time over children's special educational needs and disabilities (Send) support. And, could a new party on the left be a threat to Labour?
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
‘Discussions continue' over US steel tariffs deal ahead of deadline, says No 10
The US president has said he plans to start implementing tariffs on the US's trade partners on July 9. The UK has already managed to negotiate a deal with the US which eliminates the threat of tariffs to British car and aeroplane manufacturers. Our work with the US continues to get this deal implemented as soon as possible No 10 spokesman But a reprieve for the steel industry is yet to be finalised, leaving open the threat that the current 25% tariff rate could rise to 50% after the July 9 deadline. Mr Trump is reportedly stepping up pressure on countries who could soon be subject to the tariffs, urging them to negotiate trade deals with the US. But amid signs of confusion within the US administration, trade secretary Howard Lutnick has suggested America's trade partners will see the levies begin on August 9, after receiving a letter outlining them on July 9. Asked if the Government was confident a deal would be reached on UK steel, a No 10 spokesman said: 'Our work with the US continues to get this deal implemented as soon as possible. We have very close engagement with the US, and the US has been clear that it wants to keep talking to us to get the best deal for businesses and consumers on both sides No 10 spokesman 'That will remove the 25% tariff on UK steel and aluminium, making us the only country in the world to have tariffs removed on these products. 'The US agreed to remove tariffs on these products as part of our agreement on May 8. It reiterated that again at the G7 last month. The discussions continue, and will continue to do so.' Pressed again whether ministers were confident British producers would not be hit by the 50% tariff, the Downing Street spokesman said: 'As I say, discussions continue. 'We have very close engagement with the US, and the US has been clear that it wants to keep talking to us to get the best deal for businesses and consumers on both sides.'
ITV News
an hour ago
- ITV News
Ministers fail to rule out scrapping school plans for Send pupils despite campaigners' concerns
MPs have voiced alarm at the prospect of ending educational plans for children with special educational needs, as Political Reporter Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe explains Ministers have not ruled out scrapping education plans for children with special educational needs, sparking further worry among campaigners, parents and MPs. Education Minister Stephen Morgan attempted to quell concerns by saying the government will work to "build confidence with parents to make sure they trust the system and children get the right support in the right place." However, he could not guarantee that education, health and care plans (EHCPs) - which are currently issued to give children specialist classroom support - would remain in place. It comes after Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson failed to rule out scrapping EHCPs over the weekend. In a letter shared with the Guardian newspaper, campaigners say that without EHCPs in mainstream schools, 'many thousands of children risk being denied vital provision, or losing access to education altogether'. The education minister sidestepped the question when asked on Monday if the support plans will be abandoned. He told ITV News: "We're working really hard listening to experts, to MPs, and others to get this system right for the future. "It's really clear from the conversations I have when I visit schools and nurseries that early identification and intervention on Send makes a big difference." When pressed again on the EHCP rumours, he replied: "I'm not going to get into the metrics today, obviously a review is underway. We'll be publishing a white paper later this year." He added that the government has put £1 billion extra into Send support, as well as additional support for places in mainstream settings, as the government announced its new Early Years Strategy on Monday. An EHCP is a legally binding document that must be followed by local authorities and schools, which outlines the required support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. A spokesperson for the Save Our Children's Rights campaign, who contributed to the letter, called on the government for transparency around the EHCP plans and said the rumours of them being scrapped are "really worrying". Catriona Moore pointed to the government's plans to have more children with special educational needs attending mainstream schools. "The only way that's going to work is if they have very clearly defined support and obviously the resources to make that happen," Ms Moore told ITV News. "The fact that ministers have allowed rumours and speculation to dominate this conversation is really upsetting for parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities who already have to fight so hard to get what their children need." From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below... On Sunday, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson would also not be drawn on whether the plans will be retained. 'What I can say very clearly is that we will strengthen and put in place better support for children,' she told the BBC. Requests for Send support have risen year-on-year. In total, there were 638,745 EHCPs in place in January 2025 - up 10.8% on the same point last year. The number of new plans which started during 2024 also grew by 15.8% on the previous year, to 97,747. Requests for children to be assessed for EHCPs rose by 11.8% to 154,489 in 2024. The concerns come amid mounting pressure and another potential rebellion from backbenchers - following the staunch opposition from Labour MPs against the welfare reforms - to scrap the two-child benefit cap, which critics argue is one of the main drivers for keeping children in poverty. Director of Policy at Child Poverty Action Group, Sara Ogilvie, told ITV News that the government must consider the impact these plans could have on families already struggling to make ends meet. "There is a huge intersection between families who have got someone living in the household with a disability, families where there's a child with a special educational needs, and families in poverty," she said. "The government needs to think about all these issues in the round. If there's an approach that sees these as competing priorities rather than all things working towards the same ambition to give every child the best start in life, then it's not going to make kind of progress it wants." Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson said: 'The Send system urgently needs fixing, but ministers mustn't use that as an excuse to balance the books on the backs of disabled children. 'The government is ignoring the concerns of special needs families and campaigners, and is in serious danger of sleepwalking into another crisis – just like they did with the welfare Bill. 'Bridget Phillipson must listen to those concerns and come up with a proper solution that protects the most vulnerable in our communities, rather than throwing their support out the window.'
