A taskforce established by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has put forth a recommendation for a new framework of additional educational support aimed at students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This proposal includes a significant overhaul of the existing education, health, and care plans (EHCPs), which would be managed by local authorities to better cater to complex needs.
The taskforce stressed the importance of maintaining current EHCPs, which are legal documents detailing the support necessary for young individuals with SEND, until families receive “significantly better support” through comprehensive reforms. This recommendation follows the Government”s recent announcement to delay the release of its Schools White Paper, which outlines SEND reforms, until early next year.
Geoff Barton, the former general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and chairman of the IPPR”s inclusion taskforce, highlighted that the establishment of a new statutory category of support would provide “important reassurance for parents.” Concerns have been raised about potential cuts to EHCPs under government reforms; however, education minister Georgia Gould has assured that there will always be a legal right to additional support for young people with SEND.
When asked if successful reforms might lead to a decrease in the number of EHCPs issued, Barton clarified that while it may be a possibility, those already granted an EHCP would not have it revoked. Instead, he stated, “you start thinking about, what are the alternative routes?”
The taskforce”s proposal emphasizes the need for early intervention to identify and address learning barriers in children”s lives. Barton noted that for half of SEND children, speech and language issues hinder their learning. He suggested that local resources, including expertise from speech and language therapists, should be utilized to provide support sooner, preventing families from waiting long periods, sometimes over a year, for an EHCP.
The report also calls for increased governmental investment in early intervention, which includes more funding for educational professionals specializing in SEND and enhanced training for teachers. Margaret Mulholland, a SEND and inclusion specialist at ASCL, asserted that tackling the “insufficient core funding” in schools will be vital for the success of any new SEND system. She emphasized that families view the current plans as a legal guarantee of support for their children, highlighting the need for any new approach to instill confidence among them.
The IPPR created the inclusion taskforce during the summer to address the ongoing crisis within the SEND system. Researchers found that one in 14 young people waited more than a year for their EHCPs in 2024, with local authorities experiencing a 250% increase in EHCP assessments from 2013 to 2024. Alarmingly, less than half (46.4%) of EHCPs were issued within the legally mandated 20-week timeframe last year.
In Leeds, for instance, over half (57.2%) of young individuals had to wait more than a year for their EHCPs in 2024. A spokesperson for Leeds City Council reported ongoing investments aimed at reducing assessment completion times, noting a 117% increase in EHCPs completed in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same timeframe the previous year. In Kirklees and Leicestershire, 46.2% and 44.6% of plans, respectively, were issued after a year.
A spokesperson from Leicestershire County Council mentioned that additional resources have successfully reduced average timescales to 24 weeks over the past year, with efforts continuing to further decrease this duration. Similarly, Kirklees Council has managed to double the number of EHCPs issued within the 20-week limit, exceeding the national average, and recent SEND inspections indicated effective oversight of new plans.
Beyond these areas, at least one in five young individuals had to wait over a year for their EHCP in 14 other councils. However, in 86 out of 150 local authorities, only 1% or fewer young people experienced delays exceeding a year. Researchers identified poverty, the Covid-19 pandemic, and cuts to support services as contributing factors to the surge in demand for SEND support.
Barton emphasized the necessity for careful planning in implementing reforms, fostering cross-party consensus, and establishing a timeline for these changes. Baroness Morgan, a member of the IPPR inclusion taskforce and former education secretary, remarked that merely making minor adjustments to the system will not suffice to provide all children, especially those with additional needs, with an excellent education.
A spokesperson from the Department for Education (DfE) stated that it is unacceptable for parents to be “forced to fight for every scrap of support.” They noted that work is already in progress to ensure that support is routinely available at the earliest stages. This includes improved teacher training, a significant investment to create more specialist school places, earlier interventions for speech and language needs, and embedding SEND leads in Best Start Family Hubs across every local area.
