LGA responds to Local Government Ombudsman report on education, health and care plans

7 Oct 2019 03:28 PM

Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, Cllr Judith Blake, responded to a report by the Local Government Ombudsman report on the education, health and care plans for children with special educational needs 

“This report supports our long-term concerns that councils are in danger of being unable to meet their statutory duties for children with special educational needs.

“While we are pleased the Government has announced an additional £700 million for children with special educational needs, without certainty over funding for the future the situation will get worse as the number of children who need support continues to increase.

“There are currently 354,000 pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) – which state the support a child with SEND can receive, and is a 11 per cent increase since last year.

“This is why we are also pleased the Government plans to review the system, and will work with them to get a clear picture of what more can be done to make sure vulnerable children can get the best support possible.”

A system in crisis? Ombudsman complaints about special educational needs at alarming level