The number of pupils in England issued with a special needs support plan has more than doubled in the last eight years to 180 a day, driving up deficits in local authority budgets to “unmanageable levels”, according to analysis.
A record half a million pupils have an education, health and care plan (EHCP), a legal document setting out a child or young person’s special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve.
Councils say government changes unveiled earlier this year to address the growing crisis in the special educational needs and disabilities (Send) system will do nothing to “stem the tide of demand” that is busting their budgets. Lawyers, meanwhile, say too many children are still not receiving the specialist support to which they are entitled.
With thousands of young people approaching councils for specialist support, the number of pupils on EHCPs in England stands at 517,026 – more than double the total in 2015 (240,183), according to analysis by the County Councils Network (CCN), which represents 20 county councils and 17 unitary councils.
Last year, 66,356 children and young people started new EHCP plans – the largest ever number – according to the CCN, which equates to an average of 182 children each day. The child’s school is required to pay the first £6,000 in support, with the local authority financing the rest, which can be extremely costly.
