Julia Harnden, Funding Specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), which states that the system for funding special educational needs is broken.
“This report reflects our view that the special educational needs system is on the brink of collapse. Schools and colleges are trying their best to support children, often without adequate funding or specialist provision being available. There are long delays in securing education, health and care plans for children with the most complex needs, parents are being let down and teachers are being left in an impossible situation. There is no avoiding the scale and urgency of the challenge.
“Immediate action is required to match SEND funding with the level of need. Above all we must prioritise early intervention to ensure that children are provided with support swiftly and effectively. Going forward we need to invest in better provision in mainstream settings, as well as more special school places, to ensure the system is placed on a more sustainable footing. It’s also important that, as changes to curriculum and assessment and inspection are implemented, the needs of SEND learners are given strong consideration.”