Weekly Newsletter - 23.1.2025

Plus: AI solutions for EHCP backlogs—insights from a SEND expert 🪄

Author

Rafe Houston
January 23, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Special Educational Needs

Welcome to UK Govtech SEND, your weekly newsletter offering the latest insights, strategies, and updates to help UK educators and leaders champion inclusivity and innovation in special educational needs and disabilities.

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REPORT📄

What if creating Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) didn’t mean battling backlogs, but instead unlocking opportunities to focus on what truly matters - children and families? In our latest Backlogs to Brilliance report, we explore how generative AI is revolutionising EHCP creation. And there’s no one better to explain the transformative insights than Sarah, a former EHC plan writer, who’s featured in this short video, sharing highlights from the report.

Watch Sarah’s Highlights From The Report Here👇:

🔗 Download the Backlogs to Brilliance report to learn how your team can leverage EHCP Plus to save hours, streamline processes, and make a real difference.

Together, we can help caseworkers reclaim time for what truly matters.

EDUCATION FUNDING

A new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has issued a stark warning about the sustainability of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England. Without urgent reform, thousands of children risk missing out on the support they need, while nearly half of local authorities face severe financial pressures that could push them to the brink of bankruptcy within the next 15 months. The report highlights widespread challenges, including inconsistent support, rising demand, and an unsustainable funding model that requires immediate attention.

SEND SYSTEM REFORM

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called for urgent reforms to England's special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, warning of a "lost generation" of children unable to access vital support. With 1.7 million children requiring SEND assistance, the system is plagued by delays, funding shortages, and regional inequalities.

Key challenges include a 140% surge in EHCP demand over a decade, council budget deficits risking bankruptcy, and insufficient specialist school places. The government has pledged £1 billion and allocated £740 million for school accessibility improvements, but stakeholders stress the need for systemic reform to restore confidence and deliver meaningful support.

SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission are investigating why children with SEND are increasingly absent from school. This initiative aims to understand their experiences and barriers to education, ensuring vulnerable children receive necessary support, with findings to be reported in autumn.

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Jonathan Hinder MP held a significant meeting with Lancashire County Council's education director, Paul Turner, addressing urgent concerns regarding special educational needs provision. Highlighting a rise in SEND cases, the meeting discussed strategies such as additional funding, specialist units, and digital solutions to improve support and educational outcomes for affected children.

Hi all, I’m Sarah - a former SEND Caseworker and now a SEND Advisor with Agilisys Transform helping create the next generation of AI tools for improving SEND provision. I was not always involved in SEND, as previously I was an editor of children’s educational books. I developed a passion for children’s learning and development so later re-trained and became a teacher in a special school. Following this, I worked as a SEND Caseworker/EHC Plan Writer for around 12 years. As a teacher and caseworker, my main focus has always been in improving outcomes for children with SEND and their families.

The SEND System is at Breaking Point – AI Can Help Fix It

As a former EHCP Plan Writer and Caseworker, I’ve seen how the SEND system is failing children and families. Caseworkers are overwhelmed, parents are battling for support, and over 170,000 children are waiting for help. With only 50% of EHCPs completed within the statutory 20-week timeframe, the system is unsustainable. Without urgent action, we risk a lost generation.

Initially sceptical about AI in EHCP drafting, I now see it as a vital tool to support caseworkers, not replace them. AI-driven solutions can streamline EHCP drafting, freeing caseworkers to focus on families. With the PAC calling for urgent reform, digital transformation must be part of the solution—AI is here now to help councils tackle backlogs and improve support for SEND children.

EHCP DELAYS

Four-year-old Bodhi, displaying significant signs of autism, was left without a specialist school place after Birmingham City Council missed the deadline to issue his EHCP. Despite early efforts by his parents, Kray and Sacha, delays meant they missed the application window for specialist schools, leaving them to apply for a mainstream school that may not meet his needs.

The family has since moved to Staffordshire, hoping for better support, but without an EHCP, their situation remains unchanged. Birmingham issued only 58.9% of EHCPs on time in 2023, highlighting a widespread issue affecting families seeking timely support.