Solving the SEND Crisis

Education Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 20 Dec 2024 Parliament page
A number of recent reports have set out in detail the extent of the crisis in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, which is letting down children and their families, creating intense pressure on local authority funding and on schools. This inquiry will focus on how to achieve … Read more
27 Recommendations
68 Conclusions
4 Reports
7 Oral sessions
17 Letters
7 Events
Activity timeline 36 events
30 Apr
2026
Correspondence
30 Apr
2026
Correspondence
3 Mar
2026
Correspondence
6 Jan
2026
Correspondence
6 Jan
2026
Correspondence
11 Dec
2025
Report published
9 Dec
2025
Correspondence
12 Nov
2025
Correspondence
12 Nov
2025
Correspondence
11 Nov
2025
Correspondence
11 Nov
2025
Correspondence
28 Oct
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 7 sessions
1 Jul 2025
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Solving the SEND Crisis
Alison Ismail · Department for Education Catherine McKinnell MP · Department for Education
10 Jun 2025
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Solving the SEND Crisis
Conrad Bourne · The Mercian Trust Daniel Constable-Phelps · St Mary’s Primary and Nursery School Dr Peter Gray · SSCYP (Strategic Services for Children & Young People) Dr Susana Castro-Kemp · UCL Faculty of Education and Society (IOE) Jo Hutchinson · Education Policy Institute Nicole Dempsey · Dixons Academies Trust
13 May 2025
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Solving the SEND Crisis
Adam Sproston · Ofsted Georgina Downard · Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA) Lucy Harte · Care Quality Commission (CQC) Sharon Chappell · Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO)
29 Apr 2025
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Solving the SEND Crisis
Alison Stewart · South West London Integrated Care Board Janet Harrison · The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Lisa O’Connor · Association of Educational Psychologists Ms Marie Gascoigne · Better Communications CIC Professor Ian Kessler · Kings College London Sarah Walter · NHS Confederation
11 Mar 2025
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Solving the SEND Crisis
Catherine McLeod MBE · Dingley's Promise Clare Howard · Natspec Joanna Hall Katie Nellist Madeline Thomas Margaret Mulholland · Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Miss Lucy Bowerman Ms Annamarie Hassall MBE · The National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen) Sarah Cobb
25 Feb 2025
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Solving the SEND Crisis
Claire Dorer OBE · National Association of Independent Schools and Non-Maintained Special Schools Councillor Kate Foale · County Councils Network Dr Luke Sibieta · Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) Phil Haslett · F40 Rob Williams · National Association of Head Teachers
28 Jan 2025
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Solving the SEND Crisis
Agnes Agyepong · Global Black Maternal Health Amanda Allard · Council for Disabled Children Jo Harrison · National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF) Miss Imogen Steele · Contact Mrs Hayley Harding · Let Us learn Too Ms Katie Ghose · Kids Tania Tirraoro · Special Needs Jungle Ltd
Recommendations & Conclusions
14 results
Clear
5 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Assess funding required for SEND reforms and plan short-to-medium term investment aligning with timelines.
The Department must urgently assess the funding required to implement meaningful reforms to SEND provision. There must be a clear plan for how the Department will work towards this level of investment in the short and medium term, which aligns … Read more
Government Response
The government details current and future funding allocations for SEND, including an increase of £4.2 billion by 2028-29 and £740 million in high needs capital for 2025-26, and will extend the Statutory Override for local authority deficits. However, it defers setting out a clear plan for how it will work towards the assessed level of investment, stating further details will be provided in the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement and in due course.
Department for Education
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15 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Strengthen local authorities' ability to deliver EHC plans by compelling other services
Where EHC plans are issued, they carry a statutory duty which must be delivered in full. To make this a reality, the Department for Education should strengthen the ability of local authorities to meet these obligations by ensuring that the … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of accountability and will work with the Ombudsman and Tribunal to define their roles in a reformed SEND system. They also commit to giving full consideration to the Committee's recommendations on strengthening local authority powers and cross-departmental coordination.
Department for Education
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25 Recommendation Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Extend Local Government Ombudsman powers to cover SEND complaints in education settings
The Government must extend the powers of the Local Government Ombudsman to cover complaints about the delivery of EHC plans, SEN support and other appropriate inclusive education for children with SEND in schools, multi-academy trusts and other education settings. This … Read more
Government Response
The government will work closely with the Ombudsman and Tribunal to determine their roles in a reformed SEND system, but does not commit to extending the Ombudsman's powers as recommended.
Department for Education
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32 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Extend SEND Tribunal powers to issue binding recommendations on health services with clear consequences.
The powers of the SEND Tribunal should be extended to allow it to issue binding recommendations to health services, not just education providers. This would ensure that when a failure to deliver a health provision specified in an EHC plan … Read more
Government Response
The government notes that SEND Tribunal decisions for health services are currently non-binding but usually followed, and states it will give full consideration to extending the Tribunal's powers to issue binding recommendations to health services.
Department for Education
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50 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Implement continuous review for ITT and ECF, increase placements, and mandate specialist setting experience.
The Department for Education must implement a continuous review and update cycle for the ITT and ECF to keep training relevant and effective. It must urgently increase the number of ITT placements and explore the viability of mandating every teacher … Read more
Government Response
The government defers the implementation of a continuous review cycle for ITT and ECF to a full review in 2027, and does not address the urgent increase in ITT placements or exploring mandatory specialist placements.
Department for Education
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60 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Learning Support Assistants and Teaching Assistants lack adequate SEND-specific training
Learning support assistants and teaching assistants are integral to the effective delivery of SEND support and resourcing their deployment properly can help reduce the need for expensive specialist placements. To sustain and strengthen their contribution, improvements are urgently needed in … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the newly established School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) will advise on suitable training and career progression routes for TAs and LSAs, thereby deferring action on these improvements and the concern about SEND-specific training.
Department for Education
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61 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Integrate SEND content into teaching assistant training with regular CPD opportunities
SEND content should be an integral part of teaching assistant training, and they should be provided with regular opportunities for CPD and peer support. This could be through incentivised or ring-fenced funding for schools and multi-academy trusts to release teaching … Read more
Government Response
The government defers action on ensuring SEND content in TA training, providing regular CPD, and offering incentivised funding to the new School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB), which will advise on suitable training routes.
Department for Education
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76 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Permanent solution for local authority SEND funding requires coordinated cross-departmental action.
The extension of the statutory override until 2027/28 is a welcome step, but it remains a temporary measure in response to the ongoing financial instability facing local authorities across England. Reducing deficits is essential to achieving long-term financial sustainability however, … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need to support local authorities in managing SEND system deficits and reiterates the extension of the Statutory Override until 2027–28, stating that further details on plans for historic deficits will be set out in the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.
Department for Education
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85 Recommendation Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Place a clear statutory duty on health services for full participation in SEND provision.
The Government should place a clear statutory duty on health services, including ICBs and NHS providers, to ensure their full and accountable participation in the planning, commissioning, and delivery of SEND provision. This duty must align with the Children and … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the essential role of ongoing health and social care engagement and notes the non-binding nature of SEND Tribunal decisions for health bodies. They do not commit to placing a clear statutory duty on health services but state they will give full consideration to the Committee’s recommendations.
Department for Education
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88 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Develop and implement a comprehensive capital investment strategy for sustainable SEND provision.
The Department for Education should develop and implement a comprehensive capital investment strategy for SEND. This strategy should provide clarity over future funding streams, enable better forecasting and planning, and support the development of high-quality, fit-for- purpose settings across both … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the important role of capital funding and the £740 million for 2025–26. However, they do not commit to developing and implementing a comprehensive capital investment strategy for SEND, stating only that more detail on their approach across the spending review period will be set out in due course.
Department for Education
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91 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Designate highest-performing state specialist schools as Centres of Excellence for SEND expertise development.
As part of the expansion of specialist SEND, the highest-performing state specialist schools should be designated as Centres of Excellence. These schools would play a leading role in supporting the development of expertise across other schools, local authorities or multi-academy … Read more
Government Response
The government thanks the committee and states it will carefully consider the recommendations while engaging with stakeholders, ahead of publishing its SEND system plans in the Schools White Paper in the new year.
Department for Education
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92 Recommendation Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Review local authority powers to fulfil SEND obligations, addressing mismatches from past reforms.
The Government should continue to review whether local authorities have the necessary powers to fulfil their legal obligations to children and young people with SEND in order to address the mismatch between powers and responsibilities which has arisen as a … Read more
Government Response
The government states it appreciates the committee's consideration and will respond to their recommendations concerning improving local authority accountability, including matters related to the SEND tribunal.
Department for Education
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93 Recommendation Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Monitor and report annually on SEND pupil numbers across all school types.
As it seeks to expand the capacity of specialist state schools and deliver inclusive mainstream schools, the Government should monitor and report on an annual basis on the number of pupils with SEND in mainstream schools, in specialist independent schools … Read more
Government Response
The government thanks the committee and states it will carefully consider the recommendations while engaging with stakeholders, ahead of publishing its SEND system plans in the Schools White Paper in the new year.
Department for Education
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95 Conclusion Deferred
5th Report - Solving the SEND Cris…
Implement national SEND data strategy requiring standardised reporting from local authorities and schools.
To plan effectively for future capacity and ensure the right support is in place, the Department must take a data driven approach, developing a more robust understanding of need by systematically gathering and analysing relevant, high-quality data. This should include … Read more
Government Response
The government thanks the committee and states it will carefully consider the recommendations while engaging with stakeholders, ahead of publishing its SEND system plans in the Schools White Paper in the new year.
Department for Education
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Government Response AI assessment · 95 of 27 classified
Accepted 26
Accepted in Part 12
Acknowledged 26
Deferred 14
Not Addressed 15
Rejected 2
Total 27 recs + 68 conclusions
Correspondence 17 letters
30 Apr 2026 From committee Letter to Secretary of State on response to SEND consultation dated 30.04.26
Parliament page
30 Apr 2026 From committee Letter to Minister of State for School Standards on response to SEND consultation dated 28.04.26
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3 Mar 2026 To committee Letter from Secretary of State for Education on Schools White Paper and SEND Consultation, dated 23 February 2026
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6 Jan 2026 Correspondence with the Royal British Legion on Solving the SEND Crisis, dated 8.12.25 and 18.12.25
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6 Jan 2026 Correspondence with Minister for School Standards on supporting pupils with medical conditions dated 18.12.25
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9 Dec 2025 To committee Letter from Secretary of State for Education on Solving the SEND crisis, dated 28.11.25
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12 Nov 2025 From committee Letter to Secretary of State for Education on Schools White Paper, dated 11.11.25
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12 Nov 2025 From committee Letter to Secretary of State for Education on Schools White Paper, dated 11.11.25
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11 Nov 2025 From committee Letter to Joanna Parry National Officer Education and Children’s Services, UNISON on Solving the SEND Crisis Report dated 11.11.25
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11 Nov 2025 To committee Letter from Joanna Parry National Officer Education and Children’s Services, UNISON on Solving the SEND Crisis Report dated 10.10.25
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28 Oct 2025 To committee Letter from Chris Coghlan MP Member of Parliament for Dorking and Horley on Solving the SEND Crisis, dated 16.10.2025 and response dated 28.10.2025
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2 Sep 2025 To committee Letter from Joint Unions on Solving the SEND Crisis, dated 28.05.25
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22 Jul 2025 To committee Letter from Association of Educational Psychologists on Funding for training of educational psychologists, dated 07.07.25
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24 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from Adam Sproston HMI, Ofsted and Lucy Harte, Deputy Director, Multi-agency Operations, Care Quality Commission on Joint local area SEND inspections, dated 12.06.25
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24 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from Adam Sproston HMI, Ofsted on Multi-academy trust inspections and Complaints about Schools, dated 16.06.25
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20 May 2025 To committee Letter from Minister for School Standards on SEND White Paper 27.03.25
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11 Mar 2025 To committee Letter from Chair to Catherine McKinnell MP, Minister of State for School Standards, on Government SEND Policy, dated 11 March 202
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