Neurodivergent children to benefit from additional funding to provide support in mainstream schools
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ITV News
26-06-2025
- ITV News
Neurodivergent children to benefit from additional funding to provide support in mainstream schools
A primary school in Sheffield says it has seen improvement in their SEN provision after being in the Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- BBC News
Wolverhampton MP calls for urgent action to support SEN pupils
An MP has called for the government to review funding for children with special education needs (SEN), after statistics found nearly one in five pupils were receiving support in the Juss, MP for Wolverhampton West, told the Commons there had been a 140% increase in the number of children identified as requiring an education, health or care plan (ECHP) in England over the last said there were nearly 9,000 pupils receiving support within his constituency, about 18% of the total pupil called on the government to "urgently re-examine the structure and long-term sustainability" of special educational needs and disability (SEND) provision. The MP welcomed the government's commitment to spending £740m on creating new 10,000 SEND spaces but said the current system was "financially unsustainable" without change."Since 2019, we have seen no consistent improvement in outcomes for children with SEND," he said."We must, therefore, take bold, decisive steps to reform our SEND system to ensure that every child, irrespective of their needs or background, receives the proper support they rightly deserve."The government said in the spending review it would be setting out plans in a white paper in the autumn to reform the system in to annual statistics from the Department of Education, the number of school pupils in England receiving support for SEN had risen to more than 1.7 in Parliament on Thursday, Juss said children in the "most deprived areas" of Wolverhampton were significantly more likely to require additional support than those in more affluent said state special schools in his area were "under strain" and "operating beyond capacity," despite the tireless efforts of staff."This is not just a matter of education but a matter of social justice," the MP added. "We must invest in early years intervention and deliver a holistic programme of support." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
29-05-2025
- The Sun
If Keir Starmer cuts SEN support, kids like my Fin will end up on the scrapheap…it's not in best interests of children
THE Government is looking at removing the legal rights for children with additional needs to have extra support in school. As a mum of two autistic youngsters, I ask Keir Starmer to stop and listen to families — because this idea will cause havoc and end up costing the country more. 6 6 Like thousands of Sun readers who are Special Educational Needs parents, I fought to get my son Fin, 11, support. He was diagnosed aged six after four years on a waiting list. At his mainstream primary school, he was a year ahead of his classmates in reception and Year One but by Year Six he was two years behind. He was changing before our eyes. He started having mental health problems because his autism meant he could not cope with the noise and pressure of a classroom, and it was hard to even get him out of the house. The school applied for an Education Health And Care Plan (EHCP), which give children a legal right to support, but despite his clear needs we were refused an assessment. I was shocked. Surely if you see a child falling, you catch them before they hit the ground? Not in the SEN world. Everything is a 'no' to save money. We went away and gathered evidence. In that year Fin became a shadow of himself. He would come home with his jumper chewed to bits, his nails bitten until they bled. Children's minister has apologised for failing disabled children in victory for The Sun's Give it Back campaign We got the EHCP and, as a result, the support he needed. The difference between our son before and after the plan was night and day. Magically perfect Without it I have no doubt he would not be in school now. His mental health was so bad he wouldn't have survived mainstream. Now he is catching up and he's got his personality back. Imagine Fin replicated across the country tens of thousands of times. We got the EHCP and, as a result, the support he needed. The difference before and after the plan was like night and day Lisa I know they are out there because parents talk to me when I post about SEN on TikTok or Instagram. Without support, these children cannot learn or pass exams. There is every possibility they could end up on benefits without a job. The Sun's Give It Back campaign has long called for greater support for SEN pupils. 6 But if the Government carries out its idea to limit EHCPs to only children with 'high medical needs', more young people will end up on the scrapheap. The thinking is that the government will make mainstream schooling more inclusive so EHCPs won't be needed. But I just don't accept this is in the best interests of children. Fin became a shadow of himself. He would come home with his jumper chewed to bits, his nails bitten down until they bled Lisa What happens if the money isn't there? How is the government going to afford to make all schools inclusive? How long will it take? What will happen to EHCPs between now and schools becoming magically perfect? If SEN children aren't supported properly under the new plans it will affect every child and teacher because resources will be so stretched. Inclusion doesn't mean treating everyone the same. It means having the facilities and support to enable all children to attend and access lessons. A big class size in a noisy school is not the best environment for lots of children. How will they limit class sizes when schools are getting bigger not smaller? You can't cater for every child's needs. What you can do is offer more support to those who require it. That should be written down and legally guaranteed — and that's what EHCPs do when they work properly. 6 The best way to sort out the SEN crisis is to make sure children are diagnosed early and quickly, instead of the five years it can take — by which time families are in crisis. Build more SEN schools including for the SEN-betweeners — kids like Fin who are academically bright but can't cope in a mainstream environment. Give children support plans and fund them properly. Money is wasted. The Disabled Children's Partnership found councils are spending £100million a year FIGHTING SEN parents in court, only to lose 98 per cent of cases. Too much money is going to the 'suits' from local authorities. They make decisions about our children without ever having met them. I've seen government after government fail to address the SEN crisis because they do not listen to parents and children or the organisations who work on the ground Lisa If schools who know and care about young people got the money directly, that wouldn't be an issue. Another massive waste is parenting courses councils are using as a barrier to support. SEN mums and dads are expected to take time off work for weeks to attend these before they can get help. I haven't met one person these have helped. It's a form of parent- shaming as it suggests you don't know your child or how to care for them. I also wonder if the EHCP idea has been leaked to test reaction. I've seen government after government fail to address the SEN crisis because they do not listen to parents and children or the organisations who work on the ground. Both Fin and my daughter Poppy, eight, are in brilliant specialist provisions education now and doing well. But it took EHCPs to achieve this. My hope for Fin is that he will develop enough belief in himself to get a job, get married and one day have his own house. If he is happy and mentally OK, everything else will fall into place. SEN parents should be allowed to dream ordinary dreams — our kids just need a bit more support to achieve them. Lisa Lloyd is the author of Raising The Sen-betweeners. Her TikTok handle is @ 6 6
