SEN crisis: Nearly 20% of pupils now require additional support in schools
Nearly 1 in 5 pupils now require special educational needs support, according to new government data
One in five children in England are now receiving special educational needs support at school – and the system is under serious pressure.
Government data published this week shows a record-breaking rise in the number of children in England identified as needing SEN (special educational needs) support – with 1.7 million pupils now receiving help. That's nearly 20% of all school-aged children.
The figures have sparked growing concern from parents, teaching unions and councils, as experts warn the current support system is "unsustainable" – and thousands of families are having to fight for basic help.
The number of children needing SEN support is still rising
According to the Department for Education, the number of children receiving SEN support in schools has jumped by 5.6% compared to last year – that’s nearly 94,000 extra pupils.
The number of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) – a legally binding document that sets out a child’s specific needs and what support they’re entitled to – has more than doubled since 2016. There are now more than 482,000 children with an EHCP.
Most of this increase is being driven by a rise in autism diagnoses, as well as more children being identified with speech and language difficulties or social, emotional and mental health needs.
Speech and communication support now most common
Helping children who struggle with speech and language has become the most widespread form of SEN support provided in schools, according to the latest stats.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) says this could be linked to the lasting effects of the Covid pandemic – where reduced social interaction may have delayed speech development in some young children.
Meanwhile, autistic spectrum disorder is now the most common reason for issuing an EHCP – and better awareness of how autism presents, particularly in girls, could be contributing to this surge.
Parents are ‘in limbo’ – and it’s taking a toll
Many families are facing long, emotional battles to get their child the help they need.
Cath, a mum from Bristol, is trying to secure an EHCP for her 9-year-old son, who has autism and ADHD. His mainstream school is doing what it can, she says – but without formal support, it’s not enough.
“Having to go through the system and fight every step of the way – it takes a big toll on you,” she told the BBC. “You're seeing them struggling and you're crying out for help and there's no one who can give it to you.”
Cath’s son may not meet the threshold for a specialist school, but is also struggling in his current setting – a situation many parents will recognise. “We’re in limbo,” she said.
The system is ‘completely unsustainable’, say schools
With support needs rising, schools and councils are under huge financial and staffing pressure.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT headteachers' union, told the BBC: “Despite incredible efforts, the current system is completely unsustainable.”
He added that schools face shortages of key professionals – such as educational psychologists and speech therapists – while families face a “postcode lottery” when it comes to getting extra funding or school places.
And more parents are turning to tribunals to challenge decisions: there were a record 24,000 SEND tribunals in the past year, a 36% increase.
Councils say they’re close to financial ‘cliff edge’
A separate report from the National Audit Office warns that the current system is not delivering better outcomes – despite big increases in funding.
Some local councils are carrying huge SEND deficits, and a temporary deal to hold £3bn of those deficits off their books runs out next year.
Tim Oliver, chair of the County Councils Network, told the BBC: “Councils are facing a financial cliff edge… potentially rendering half of England’s county and unitary councils insolvent overnight.”
What happens next?
The government says it will publish a white paper this autumn outlining reforms to the SEND system in England.
They’ve also committed £760m over two years to fund changes and expand specialist places in mainstream schools.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Behind each one of these figures is a family desperately fighting for even the most basic support for their child.”
She added: “We’ve already taken the first steps to identify and meet children's needs earlier in mainstream schools… to prevent needs from escalating.”
But for families like Cath’s, change can’t come soon enough. And with so many parents now navigating the SEN system, this is an issue touching more families than ever before.
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Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.