Latest news with #specialeducationalneeds
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
What are education and health care plans and why are parents worried about them being scrapped?
For children in England with special educational needs and disabilities, an education and health care plan (EHCP) is a central pillar of support. The government is due to set out its educational strategy for children with special educational needs and disabilities in the autumn, though, and has not ruled out scrapping ECHPs. Their removal would signal radical change in how the system works in England. ECHPs are individualised plans that set out the needs of a particular child and the support they should receive – from education, health services and social care – in order have the best opportunity to thrive. But demand for ECHPs is soaring and providing support is proving financially catastrophic for local authorities. One of the criticisms of EHCPs is that they prioritise providing children with individual models of support, rather than developing inclusive cultures within schools and within the broader education system. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has outlined a vision of building a system where more children with special educational needs and disabilities can attend mainstream schools. But removing ECHPs leads to the possibility of children who need more specialist support missing out. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. To secure an ECHP, local authorities carry out a statutory assessment to determine whether a child's needs warrant additional support. An assessment does not always lead to an EHCP, but if one is issued, it must outline how the child's needs will be met and the additional resources needed to do so. These resources might include funding to provide a child with a teaching assistant, funding for equipment and transport to school, or funding to go to a specialist school. This system of support helps school leaders ensure that children and young people have the right support, at the right time. According to a report published earlier this year, the demand for EHCPs has risen by 140% since 2015. Recent data shows that there are 482,640 children and young people in England with an EHCP. Many more children have special educational needs, but do not have an ECHP. These pupils are classed as receiving special educational needs support. The percentage of pupils with an EHCP has increased to 5.3%, from 4.8% in 2024. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs support has increased to 14.2%, from 13.6% in 2024. Despite government investment of £10.7 billion to local authorities in 2024-25, a House of Commons committee report outlines that long waiting times for assessments, as well as to access support such as speech and language therapy, has led to parents losing confidence in the system. Funding is allocated to each local authority from central government to fund provision in their areas. It is for local authorities, in consultation with their schools, to determine the individual allocation to schools. However, local authorities are struggling to meet the increased demand for EHCPs. Even when funding is allocated through EHCPs, it is not always sufficient to address the needs of those with complex needs. And funding is not sufficient to meet demand. Local authorities have accumulated huge deficits due to spending exceeding funding, placing some at risk of going bankrupt. Future plans Bridget Phillipson has refused to be drawn on whether EHCPs will be axed. 'What I can say very clearly,' she has said, 'is that we will strengthen and put in place better support for children.' Building more inclusive schools is obviously one way of achieving this vision. If scrapping EHCPs means less funding for children for special educational needs and disabilities, though, this cannot be the answer. Children need more support, not less, to enable them to thrive. The solution is for the government to work out what models of inclusion work well in mainstream schools and to decide how these can be resourced and evaluated. Clarity is also needed on inclusion in mainstream schools can be measured in order to assess whether it is working. Making more support in mainstream schools work also requires an adequate supply of knowledgeable, well-trained teachers. The government is prioritising this through revision to initial teacher education courses, with an emphasis on all teachers being teachers of special educational needs. If the government doesn't get this right, the result may be poorer educational and long-term outcomes for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. It may also lead to issues with teacher recruitment and retention in mainstream schools, particularly if teachers feel that they do not have the level of support in place that they need to meet the needs of their pupils. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Jonathan Glazzard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Ministers urged not to remove legal rights and protections for Send children
The Government must not remove or dilute legal rights and protections for children with special educational needs and disabilities, a coalition of charities and parent organisations has urged. The plea comes as ministers have failed to rule out slashing education, health and care plans (EHCPs) – which set out the specialist support a young person requires for their needs. The Disabled Children's Partnership (DCP), which includes more than 130 charities and parent groups, has called on the Government not to restrict access to EHCPs for those who continue to need them. The Government plans to publish a white paper in the autumn detailing how it will reform support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (Send). Earlier this month, education minister Stephen Morgan could not guarantee that the current system of EHCPs would remain in place. ECHPs are legal documents for children and young people up to the age of 25 which identify their educational, health and social needs, and set out the extra support required. A report by the DCP said the rise in EHCPs can be used as evidence the system is 'too expensive for councils' to provide, but it suggested more nurseries, schools and colleges are applying for plans because the support children need 'is not happening without them'. It said every child who needs Send support should have a 'written record' setting out the support they need and how it will be monitored. 'The Government must not dilute existing rights and protections, or restrict access to education, health and care plans for those who continue to need them,' the report added. In total, there were 638,745 EHCPs in place in January, 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 coalition's report outlines five key areas the Government should address if young people with Send are to enjoy the same 'ordinary things' in life that their peers take for granted. The Government should ensure there is 'legally guaranteed support' for every child who needs it with the current Send support arrangements put on a statutory footing, the DCP has said. The coalition has also called for more funding for the Send system and for every local area to have a plan for ensuring there is the 'right mix' of mainstream and specialist placements. The report said: 'This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make children and families' lives better. 'But getting this wrong would make it even harder for families to get the support their children so desperately need.' It added that many parents of children with Send are having to turn to the law to enforce their child's rights at tribunal and they may have spent years without the support they need. The report said: 'The solution to this is not to remove or dilute legal rights and protections; the Government must ensure proper accountability for meeting legal duties.' Anna Bird, chairwoman of the DCP and chief executive of charity Contact, said: 'Children with Send want ordinary things – a place to learn safely, the opportunity to take part in after-school activities and the chance for parents to work to support their children, rather than having to put their working lives on hold. ' She added: 'Our Fight for Ordinary campaign launches today and the report sets out how to make the changes children with Send need, without diluting their rights or removing vital protections. 'This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get it right for children with Send. 'The Government will only get reforms right if they work together with young people, parents and the organisations that represent them.' Tobias Lambe, from Warwickshire, who is autistic and faced a fight to get an EHCP at school, is now at university studying medicine. He said: 'At the age of 14 I had a mental health breakdown and was admitted to hospital. 'I never dreamed that seven years later I would be thriving at university studying a course I love, playing sports, making friends and enjoying life. 'But it's taken a huge fight and countless battles with schools, healthcare providers and local authorities for me to achieve that. 'Not every family is able to fight that battle, and none should have to.' The 21-year-old added: 'Children and young people who are disabled and neurodivergent should not have to face a constant fight for a suitable education or the right healthcare. 'These are ordinary things to which everyone is entitled.' A Department for Education (DfE) spokeswoman said: 'This Government inherited a Send system left on its knees – which is why we are listening closely to families as we work to make sure more children can thrive in their local school, putting an end to parents having to fight to get support that should be routine. 'Our priority is improving outcomes for children and young people with Send which is why the Education Secretary has been clear that there will always be a legal right to additional support for children with Send. 'We are already making progress, from more early intervention in mainstream schools across ADHD, autism and speech and language needs, through to £740 million investment to encourage councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools. 'As part of our Plan for Change, we will restore the confidence of families up and down the country and deliver the improvement they are crying out for, so every child can achieve and thrive.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Cumberland Council to pay £2,000 for child's missed education
A council has been ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to a family after their child missed out on two school local government and social care ombudsman upheld a complaint from the mother of a child with special educational needs after Cumberland Council failed to review these.A report published by the ombudsman said the council had "failed to secure" educational provision detailed in the child's health and care plan (EHC) - a document which outlines what needs they have and the support they require - and provide a suitable alternative between September 2024 and April Council has been approached for comment. The ombudsman said the child, referred to as Y in documents, had been going to a special school until April 2024, at which point they started struggling to council arranged out-of-school tuition but, when it issued a draft EHC plan following a review, it continued to name the previous school as the child's family complained and the council committed to making changes. 'This was fault' By the October, Y's tuition had stopped because they struggled to engage with it and council records showed the authority had asked a special advisory teacher to carry out a review of the child's in the February the family complained to the ombudsman because there was still no final plan nor provision in place."There is little evidence of the council reviewing Y's progress or acting on [the mother's] concerns. This was fault," the ombudsman said in the added that, while Y had received some education since leaving the special school, the council had failed to provide the child with a suitable alternative."The council failed to consider carrying out an interim review when Y left school and failed again to do so when Y's alternative provision was unsuccessful," it said. "This left Y with an out-of-date plan which did not meet their needs."The report showed the council had agreed to apologise to the family and review its approach on interim EHC council also agreed to pay £1,800 compensation for failing to secure the provision in Y's plan for two terms, and £200 for the uncertainty caused. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Parents and teachers: tell us your views on changes to special education needs support in England
The government is facing another political battle as backbench MPs, campaigners and parents have voiced concern at plans to overhaul support in England for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (Send). The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, aims to remodel special needs provision, as the numbers of children and young people requiring Send support is reaching record levels and exhausting school and council budgets. Government proposals are expected as part of a schools white paper due in October. Parents, campaigners, councils and politicians are broadly in agreement that the current system is failing children and has been for years. But many fear changes will restrict or phase out the use of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) – potentially affecting 638,700 children and young people – which give statutory force to support for children and young people assessed as having special needs or disabilities. We want to hear from you. Are you a parent or teacher of a child with special educational needs or disabilities? What are your views on potential changes to the system? For parents, what impact might restricting the use of EHCPs have on your family? For parents and teachers, how would you like to see the system improved? You can tell us about being a parent to a child with special education needs using this form. Please include as much detail as possible. Please include as much detail as possible. Please include as much detail as possible. Please include as much detail as possible. Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you include other people's names please ask them first. Contact us on WhatsApp at +447766780300. For more information, please see our guidance on contacting us via WhatsApp. For true anonymity please use our SecureDrop service instead. If you're having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Educ8 Liverpool school rated 'inadequate' amid safety concerns
A Merseyside school has been rated inadequate amid to concerns about pupil safety, the poor standard of education and "unlawful" behaviour management. The Ofsted report on Educ8 Liverpool, an independent special school on Elm Road in Seaforth, Sefton said: "Even though pupils may feel safe at this school, they are not."Inspectors found attendance records were so bad that it was "impossible" to know which pupils should be on the site.A school representative said "immediate action" had been taken in response and staff were working to ensure the failings were being "effectively addressed". Educ8 Liverpool caters for children who have been out of education for some time, with the majority having special educational gave the school a "requires improvement" rating on their first visit in July 2023 but the report published last week showed the school had since worsened. 'Significant risk' Inspectors acknowledged the school's ability to help some pupils gain qualifications in English and mathematics, but expectation of pupils' potential was low and many were not achieving as they should. One of the main factors in poor performance identified by inspectors was the school's failure to maintain accurate and up-to-date attendance records, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said some pupils missed out on their education when the school sent them home as a result of negative behaviour."Added to this, weaknesses in the culture and practice of safeguarding mean that the school does not fulfil its duties to protect pupils from harm," it Liverpool's approach to behaviour management was flagged as a serious problem with staff often resorting to sending pupils home to "cool off", sometimes without a formal suspension process, which constituted "unlawful suspension". Inspectors said this presented a significant risk to children's watchdog did find those who attended regularly were typically happy at school and were able to progress through difficult learning challenges due to the caring relationships that staff built with them. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
