Labour’s long-awaited education white paper on special educational needs and disabilities (Send) is set to be published soon, but concerns are mounting that the plans may fall short of expectations. Critics point to a familiar pattern of ambitious rhetoric undermined by limited funding and a lack of detail on key issues.
The government aims to increase the number of Send children in mainstream schools, driven by a commitment to inclusion and a need to cut costs on expensive special school places and transport. A £3.7bn investment over ten years is planned for mainstream secondary school facilities, including ‘inclusion bases’ for extra support. Additionally, a £200m training programme is promised, described as the most ambitious ever for English schools, covering teachers, support staff, and early-years workers.
However, the £200m training budget works out at only a few hundred pounds per person when divided among nearly 470,000 teachers alone, raising questions about its adequacy. There has been no mention of improving pay or status for teaching assistants, who are crucial for Send support, nor of addressing shortages of speech and occupational therapists. Post-18 provision also appears neglected.
Perhaps the biggest concern is the future of education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which provide legally enforceable rights for 638,000 children. Ministers have refused to confirm whether EHCPs will be scrapped for most families, leaving parents anxious about losing a key accountability mechanism. The government’s silence on this issue, combined with past controversies over disability benefit cuts, suggests potential for political turmoil if the reforms misfire.
