Councils are at risk of facing significantly higher costs for special educational needs and disabilities provision by 2029 if immediate reforms are not implemented, according to a prominent think-tank. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has raised concerns about the sharp increase in high needs spending, which has surged by 66% in schools since 2016.
Data highlighted by the IFS reveals that 5.2% of pupils under 16 in England have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), granting them the highest level of support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Additionally, the percentage of children receiving child disability living allowance (CDLA) has risen from 3.4% a decade ago to 7.2% currently.
The IFS projects that spending on EHCPs and CDLA, currently standing at £16 billion, is expected to reach £21 billion by 2029, more than double the expenditure in 2016. Moreover, high needs spending in schools is anticipated to increase by an additional £3 billion by 2029.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is in the process of developing plans to revamp the troubled SEND system in a forthcoming white paper. Concerns have been raised by parents regarding potential changes to EHCPs, which promise tailored support for children in need.
The proportion of children with EHCPs has risen from 3% in 2018 to 5%, but local councils are struggling to meet the financial demands. Darcey Snape, a research economist at the IFS, emphasized the need for a review of child disability living allowance, which has remained largely unchanged for over three decades.
Various stakeholders in the education sector have voiced their opinions on the current state of the SEND system. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the school leaders’ union NAHT, emphasized the necessity of investing more in early identification of children’s needs to prevent escalating costs in the future. Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, highlighted the inadequacies in the system despite increased spending, pointing out delays in assessments and insufficient resources in schools. Cllr Amanda Hopgood, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children, Young People and Families Committee, called for system reform and collaboration between councils and the government to address the challenges faced by children and families with SEND requirements.