Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. First Report of Session 2019-20

In 2014, Parliament legislated with the intention of transforming the educational experiences of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The reforms were ambitious: the Children and Families Bill sought to place young people at the heart of the system. However, as we set out in this report, that ambition remains to be realised. Let down by failures of implementation, the 2014 reforms have resulted in confusion and at times unlawful practice, bureaucratic nightmares, buckpassing and a lack of accountability, strained resources and adversarial experiences, and ultimately dashed the hopes of many.
 
The reforms were the right ones. But their implementation has been badly hampered by poor administration and a challenging funding environment in which local authorities and schools have lacked the ability to make transformative change. The Government has recently taken initial steps to rectify the latter of these two challenges, but there is much left to be done.
 
There is too much of a tension between the child’s needs and the provision available. The significant funding shortfall is a serious contributory factor to the failure on the part of all involved to deliver on the SEND reforms and meet children’s needs. Ultimately, however, unless we see a culture change, within schools and local authorities and the Government, any additional money will be wasted and make little difference to their lives.

• BBC
• CfEY (The Centre for Education and Youth)
• NAHT (1)
• NAHT (2)
• The Association of Directors of Children's Services Ltd
• TES
• Association of Educational Psychologists
• National Network of Parent Carer Forums
• Down's Syndrome Association
• Best Schools
• The Parliamentary Review
• National Autistic Society
• Contact. The charity for families with disabled children
• nasen (National Association of Special Educational Needs)
• Schools Week
• Special Needs Jungle
• The Guardian
• The Independent
• Local Government Association
• IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice)