Government Set to Scrap Special-Needs Support Plans, Prompting Widespread Alarm

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Government Set to Scrap Special-Needs Support Plans, Prompting Widespread Alarm

 

Plans under consideration by the UK government to eliminate key legal protections for children with special educational needs have sparked strong warnings from campaigners, who fear that hundreds of thousands of young people may be left without the vital help they need. Ministers are reportedly preparing to overhaul the Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), which currently guarantee tailored support for children with disabilities in schools.

 

EHCPs, previously known as statements, are legally binding documents issued by local councils to ensure that children with diagnosed special needs receive individualized assistance, often including one-on-one sessions with specialists. However, with more than 570,000 children currently holding an EHCP, including 185,000 in special schools, ministers believe the rising numbers are financially unsustainable.

 

A government source said the reforms aim to restrict EHCP access to those with the “very high and complex needs,” suggesting that children with less severe conditions may no longer qualify for the legal protections these plans provide. The special educational needs budget currently stands at £11 billion and is projected to rise by another £2 billion within two years.

 

Much of the growth in EHCP issuance has been linked to an increase in diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and other social, emotional, and mental health needs, as well as speech, language, and communication disorders. Among those most likely to be affected are the 78,000 children whose plans are primarily due to speech and language issues. “For the people who just need speech and language therapists, they won’t need the EHCPs because we’ll have that provided in schools,” the source added.

 

Parents and education experts are increasingly concerned that the EHCP system may be scrapped altogether. Dame Christine Lenehan, the government’s strategic adviser on SEND (special education needs and disabilities), told Schools Week that the existing framework is “not fit for purpose” and predicted a significant overhaul.

 

While mainstream schools are expected to receive increased funding to help bridge the gap left by reduced access to EHCPs, experts warn that such a shift may lead to severe consequences without proper resources. The upcoming reforms, expected to be introduced via a parliamentary bill, are likely to be framed as a solution to a broken system plagued by bureaucratic hurdles and long delays.

 

Currently, only half of families receive their EHCPs within the statutory 20-week deadline. Tens of thousands of children are left waiting for support, despite the high cost associated with delays. A place in a state special school costs £25,000 annually per child, compared with £8,200 for a place in a mainstream state school.

 

A recent report by the public accounts committee revealed that over 40,000 children were waiting longer than 12 weeks for speech and language therapy as of June 2024. The committee concluded that slow access to specialist healthcare is a “significant barrier in a struggling system.”

 

In response, the government has announced a £3.4 million initiative to send specialist teams into primary and early-years settings, aiming to help 20,000 more children overcome speech and language difficulties. Officials hope these interventions will allow many children to forgo EHCPs altogether. However, experts warn that without sufficient investment and staffing, the reforms may do more harm than good.

 

Jane Harris, chief executive of Speech and Language UK, said: “Children with speech and language challenges are in every classroom and many need adapted teaching throughout the school day. While we would welcome every school having access to a speech and language therapist — how would the huge number required be recruited and trained to work with the hundreds of thousands of children who need support? So we need to know how the government plans to truly help these children.”

 

Anna Bird, chief executive of the charity Contact, called the move to eliminate EHCPs “nonsensical,” warning it could strip vulnerable children of essential support. “The government is moving away from more than 40 years of consensus about the need for legal guarantees to ensure disabled children can take part in school life,” Bird said. “This will be devastating news for parents.”

 

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, echoed these concerns, stating, “Any new system must be backed with sufficient funding — rather than the current position which leaves schools struggling to provide support without the resources they require.”

 

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: “This government is actively working with parents and experts on the solutions, including more early intervention to prevent needs from escalating and £740 million to encourage councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools. Any changes we make will improve support for children and parents, stop parents from having to fight for support, and protect provision currently in place.”

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times  2025-05-26