One in eight parents of children in special schools in England have spent £5,000 or more on assessments for their child's special educational needs, according to research by the Sutton Trust. The study highlights stark inequalities in how families navigate the system, with middle-class parents far more likely to pay for private assessments, consultants, and legal advice.
The research found that 65% of working-class families spent nothing on their child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) application, compared to 29% of middle-class families. In contrast, one in ten middle-class families spent over £5,000. Those able to pay were more likely to secure places in sought-after special schools.
Affluent parents were also more likely to contest local authority decisions at tribunals, which overwhelmingly result in EHCPs being awarded. Overall, middle-class parents were eight percentage points more likely to obtain an EHCP than working-class parents. The Sutton Trust's chief executive, Nick Harrison, called the situation 'unacceptable', stating that disadvantaged children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) are being failed by a system beset with inconsistency and bureaucracy.
The report also found that children from poor backgrounds are 'doubly disadvantaged', receiving less support at school and achieving worse exam results than their better-off peers. While 26% of schoolchildren qualify for free school meals, they account for 44% of those with EHCPs. Margaret Mulholland of the Association of School and College Leaders described a 'two-tier system' where desperate families pay for assessments themselves.
The government has acknowledged the issue, with schools minister Georgia Gould stating that children with Send have been 'badly let down'. The Department for Education is planning to overhaul Send provision, with EHCPs expected to survive the reforms despite earlier speculation they might be scrapped.
