Weekly Newsletter - 30.1.2025

Plus: Parents take legal action over SEND funding cuts ⚖️

Author

Rafe Houston
January 30, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 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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Agilisys Transform were thrilled to showcase EHCP Plus, an AI-powered tool designed to support SEND teams across local authorities. They noted that seeing the excitement around how AI can improve SEND outcomes and support case workers and EHC plan writers has been truly rewarding.

“Gen AI is a game-changer for us, it can better enable our SEND teams to focus on creating faster and more personalised EHC plans and allows us to focus on what truly matters – supporting the people we serve.”

- A local authority

Key takeaways from their conversations at Bett UK:

  • Strong council engagement – Many local authorities shared positive experiences with AI-powered EHCP (Education, Health, and Care Plan) tools, while others showed growing interest in adopting AI-driven solutions.

  • AI’s role in improving SEND services – A major focus was on how AI can help reduce backlogs, streamline processes, and improve the quality of EHCPs, ensuring better outcomes for children.

  • The AI Action Plan in focus – Councils were eager to explore responsible AI adoption to enhance public sector services and ensure they stay ahead in digital transformation.

  • Expanding AI use cases for SEND – Beyond EHCPs, AI has the potential to support SEND professionals and schools by reducing administrative burdens, allowing educators to focus more on direct student support.

  • Addressing the SEND crisis – Discussions echoed concerns from the Public Accounts Committee, emphasizing the urgent need for faster, more efficient processes to tackle funding and resource challenges in SEND services.

SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING

Devon County Council faces legal action from parents over unconsulted special educational needs (SEND) funding cuts. The council's £95m agreement with the Government aimed to reduce its deficit involves such cuts. Despite parents' concerns about long-term effects, the council maintains it follows proper procedures.

SEND CRISIS

England’s SEND system is struggling to cope with rising demand, funding shortfalls, and long delays in support, putting thousands of children at risk.

Key issues include:

  • Soaring Demand – The number of children needing SEND support has increased by 24% in five years, overwhelming local authorities.

  • Severe Funding Gaps – Government funding has not kept pace, leaving councils with growing deficits and forcing cuts to essential services.

  • Delays & Inconsistencies – Many families wait months or years for Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs), with significant regional disparities in support.

  • Pressure on Schools – Mainstream schools are struggling to accommodate SEND pupils, while special schools reach capacity.

Without urgent reform, experts warn that thousands of vulnerable children will continue to miss out on the education and support they need to thrive.

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.

Ensuring children with SEND receive timely support is crucial, yet local authorities face delays due to budget constraints, staff shortages, and rising demand. These challenges make it difficult to meet EHCP deadlines, impacting children’s lives.

Our AI-powered tool, EHCP Plus, transforms the process by reducing drafting time, improving accuracy, and ensuring consistency across local authority templates. By embracing innovation, we can help streamline EHCPs, ease administrative burdens, and ensure children get the support they need—faster and more effectively.

Press here to read more 🔗

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 POLICY INSIGHTS

The UK’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system is overwhelmed, but experts suggest six key reforms to create a sustainable, effective model:

  1. Early Intervention – Improve early identification of SEND needs to reduce long-term challenges.

  2. Better EHCP Processes – Streamline Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) to ensure quicker and fairer access.

  3. Funding Reform – Increase and distribute funding more effectively to prevent deficits and service cuts.

  4. Support for Mainstream Schools – Equip schools with resources and training to better accommodate SEND students.

  5. Workforce Investment – Address staff shortages by improving recruitment, retention, and training for SEND professionals.

  6. Stronger Accountability – Improve oversight to ensure councils and schools deliver timely, high-quality support.

Without these changes, experts warn that the system will continue to fail thousands of children in need of essential support.

EDUCATION FINANCE POLICY

Wiltshire Council requests a two-year extension on its SEND support strategy under the Department for Education's Safety Valve programme, addressing budget overspend and expanding resources for SEND children. Despite achievements, escalating needs underline the necessity for sustained investment and strategic planning beyond the initial five-year framework, crucial for SEND policy execution.