Recommendations & Conclusions
5 items
3
Recommendation
1st Report - Support for children and y…
Acknowledged
The Department has not made clear what it means by inclusive education, a core strand of its approach, or how it will be achieved. A core aim of the Children and Families Act 2014 was supporting children with SEN in more inclusive mainstream schools, but the Department has made little …
Government response. The government agrees to work towards a more inclusive education system but states it cannot meet the six-month deadline, promising further details later this year. It mentions ongoing efforts in teacher training, including a January 2025 review of National Professional …
HM Treasury
5
Conclusion
1st Report - Support for children and y…
Acknowledged
Departmental witnesses could not provide any potential solution to the critical and immediate financial challenges facing many local authorities due to persistent and significant SEN-related overspends. The impact of these are being deferred under the temporary “statutory override” scheme, which is due to expire in March 2026. This is currently …
Government response. The government agrees with the urgency of addressing local authority SEND overspends and Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficits but states it could not set out plans by March 2025. It intends to set out further details for reforming the SEND …
HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
1st Report - Support for children and y…
Acknowledged
The Department’s ability to reform the system is hindered by a lack of data, targets and a clear, costed plan. The Department accepts the need for major change, but lacks a clear, costed plan to push forward reforms and measure progress. Despite taking years to develop a plan to address …
Government response. The government agrees, highlighting improvements to EHCP (SEN2) data collection from 2023 and the publication of SEND Futures study findings in December 2023. It notes an almost £1 billion funding increase announced in Autumn Budget 2024, but the comprehensive, fully …
HM Treasury
9
Conclusion
1st Report - Support for children and y…
Acknowledged
The Department described how parental confidence provided a core indicator of an effective SEN system but that, with a third of parents having children with SEN in the state system feeling their child did not get necessary support, the system was “nowhere near good enough”.16 Families lack confidence in a …
Government response. The department recognises that some families struggle to get the right support they need, when they need it, and aims to address issues causing Tribunal appeals through broader systemic reform. It will work with the Ministry of Justice, the SEND …
HM Treasury
10
Conclusion
1st Report - Support for children and y…
Acknowledged
Parents are also increasingly appealing EHC plan decisions with the proportion being taken to a tribunal, parents’ final recourse for complaints, increasing from 1.6% in 2018 to 2.5% in 2023. The number of decisions appealed increased from 6,000 in 2018 to 15,600 in 2023. Nearly all (98%) were decided in …
Government response. The department recognises that some families struggle to get the right support they need, when they need it, and aims to address issues causing Tribunal appeals through broader systemic reform. It will work with the Ministry of Justice, the SEND …
HM Treasury