In recent weeks, a lot of media attention has focused on the impending SEN crisis, driven by an increase in the number of children diagnosed with special educational needs, and a lack of proportional funding unable to meet spiraling costs incurred by specialist providers supporting some of the most vulnerable children in the UK.

In an article by the Telegraph, since 2016 there has been a rapidly growing number of children assessed and subsequently diagnosed with special educational needs. According to Department of Education figures, almost 1.7 million schoolchildren in England, some 18.4 per cent of the pupil population, now have SEN, with the latest increase of 101,000 coming in the last 12 months.

To secure funds for extra support, parents face up to five-year waits for NHS psychological assessments. To speed the process, many pay for their own at a cost of up to £6,000, depending on the range of conditions. After this, they must apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) from a Local Authority, which takes an average of two years if successful. An EHCP entitles a child to extra support at a mainstream school or a place in a specialist school. If the support is denied or if parents are not offered the school they want they can appeal, which usually takes another year and up to £20,000 in legal fees they cannot claim back.

The number of children with EHCPs in England is currently 576,000, more than double the figure in 2015. Funding for them comes via LAs, most of which face huge financial shortfalls and in several cases are close to bankruptcy. The National Audit Office (NAO) projected that authorities will have cumulative deficits of almost £5bn by 2026, demonstrating the looming crisis for SEN recipients, who rely on LA support – the recent funding announced in the October 2024 budget is papering over the cracks in the system.