Chancellor’s budget statement: extra £1billion for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

The Chancellor’s budget statement included an extra £1billion for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Whilst this is welcome news, we await further details on where the additional funding will be directed.

The current SEND system is failing children and young people. As educational psychologists, the growing demands of our profession’s statutory EHCP responsibilities mean that we are unable to provide early intervention support. This early intervention and support is crucial to ensuring the best outcomes for children. Urgent action is required to target investment in our profession and ensure children and young people have access to the support they need, when they need it.

The number of children with SEND is rising and the associated costs of SEND provision has become one of the leading drivers of financial pressures for local authorities. It is therefore welcome that the Chancellor has also committed £1.3billion of new grant funding for local authorities. The Association of Educational Psychologists called on the Chancellor to make this additional investment, but we remain concerned that this will not be enough to stem the tide of rising demand, and with it increased pressure on our- already overstretched - workforce.

We look forward to receiving further details on where the promised investment will be directed and to working with national and local Government on ensuring it is used to best effect for the benefit of children, young people and their families.