Tonight’s episode of Panorama on BBC One looks at the support available to young people who have Education, Health and Care Plans and their families, including provision throughout the pandemic.
We are increasing high needs funding to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for local authorities by £780 million this year and a further £730 million in 2021-22, boosting the total budget for supporting those with the most complex needs to more than £8 billion that year.
We’re also taking action so that teachers get the training they need to support children with any type of special educational need or disability, and our £1 billion Covid-19 catch up package is targeting support for those who need it most.
We have launched a cross-government SEND review to improve how children and young people with additional needs are supported. It is looking at ways to make sure that children and young people with SEND receive the highest quality support so they can thrive as they prepare for adulthood.
A Government spokesperson said:
The safety and wellbeing of the most vulnerable children has always been a priority. That’s why we kept nurseries, schools and colleges open to those with Education, Health and Care Plans as well as the children of critical workers throughout the pandemic and provided clear guidance on who was eligible to attend.
We have supported local authorities, education providers and health services to respond to coronavirus, providing local authorities with £3.7 billion to meet additional demands, including within SEND support. We’re also increasing high needs funding for those with the most complex SEND by £780 million this year and a further £730 million next year, to help provide the support that parents rightly expect for their children.
Our reforms to the SEND system in 2014 introduced vital support - our current cross-government review will look at ways to improve on remaining challenges so that young people with additional needs can thrive as they prepare for adulthood.