'We Must Do Better': Taskforce To Help SEND Children Launches In UK

Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will be the focus of a new taskforce which hopes to improve provision in schools. The latest development comes after the government announced an overhaul of special needs education for children – which has been met with fear and anger from some parents and campaigners.One particular concern is that education, health and care plans (EHCPs) – a legally-binding document outlining the needs of a child and what support is required to meet those needs – could be restricted to specialist schools or scrapped completely. The process of obtaining an EHCP is not simple – and involves local authorities, health and social care teams, and education settings working together. Many parents also have to fight hard to get this level of support for their children.As of January 2025, almost 640,000 children were relying on these plans for individual support – up by 10.8% in the last year – but as demand for them has risen, schools and councils have struggled to keep up.The expense has also risen. Central government funding for high needs currently totals nearly £11 billion, with forecasts suggesting annual spending will rise by at least £2-3 billion between now and 2028, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).Dame Christine Lenehan, former director of the Council for Disabled Children who is advising ministers on SEND reform, has described EHCPs as a “document that unlocks the system and promises to deliver what children need, but still often doesn’t”.When asked if she would rule out getting rid of EHCPs earlier this month, education secretary Bridget Phillipson said it is a “complex and sensitive area”.But Dr Helena Bunn, of the British Psychological Society, has warned restricting access to these plans “would have devastating and far-reaching consequences for thousands of children”.A Department for Education spokesperson previously told the BBC “there are no plans to abolish SEND tribunals, or to remove funding or support from children, families and schools”.What will the new taskforce be doing?IPPR is an independent charity which helps to shape national conversations and policy change.Its new Inclusion Taskforce, chaired by Geoff Barton, the former general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, will examine the current state of SEND provision and set out principles that should guide reform of the system. Experts in education, health and local government will come together to set out the new vision with proposals for how the system can be reformed.A government White Paper is expected in autumn that will set out SEND reform proposals, which will impact the one in five children who are receiving support for special educational needs in classrooms.Critics of the current system say it is “lose, lose, lose” for children, families and professionals, according to the IPPR, as children with SEND continue to have poor outcomes (we know, for example, these children are one of the most disadvantaged groups in education, and are far less likely to meet expected learning standards than their peers at Key Stage 1), the system is adversarial for families, and it’s also impractical and bureaucratic for professionals to navigate. Geoff Barton, chair of the IPPR Inclusion Taskforce, said: “Too many families face a daily struggle to get the right support for their children. This taskforce will bring fresh thinking and a clear focus on delivering the change that’s urgently needed to make our education system work for every child.”He added: “After 15 years leading a state school and then a national education union, I know how complex and challenging the SEND system can be – for families, for schools, and most of all for the children it is supposed to support.“Too often, getting the right help takes too long, feels too hard, and leaves young people feeling left out. We must do better on their behalf.”Ellie Harris, IPPR’s Inclusion Taskforce lead, said: “We all know a child in our life who is struggling at school – a friend’s kid, a family member, or a colleague’s child – we cannot allow this to continue.“Support should not be slow, patchy, and locked behind bureaucratic hurdles. We need meaningful education reform to make sure that all children are supported at school to belong, achieve and thrive.”The recommendations will be shared this autumn.Related...A Parent Told Me 'Everyone Seems To Have Autism These Days' – Here's What I Want Them To KnowWaiting Endlessly For ADHD Or Autism Assessment? 'Right To Choose' May Get You Seen SoonerAutism Assessor Reveals 3 Of The 'Most Common' Signs Of Autism In Girls

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