Labour Send changes at risk as parents rush to secure support, say experts
Summary
The UK government plans to change how special education support is given in England by replacing education, health, and care plans (EHCPs) with more support in regular schools by 2030. Experts warn parents are rushing to get EHCPs before the system changes, which may cause delays and higher demand than the government expects.Key Facts
- The Institute for Government (IfG) says the 2030 timeline for special education changes in England might be too optimistic.
- Parents are applying for EHCPs more quickly to secure support before the system switches to mainstream school support.
- EHCPs are legal agreements between parents and local authorities for specialist education support.
- A surge in EHCP applications could nearly double the number of pupils with EHCPs to one in 10 by 2029.
- The government plans to reduce the need for EHCPs by adding resources within mainstream schools.
- If demand for EHCPs rises faster than expected, budgets for special education support could be strained.
- The Department for Education says the report’s predictions are speculative and denies that reforms are causing the increase in EHCP applications.
- The government insists it will stick to the planned timetable for implementing reforms and will announce next steps soon.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
