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- Your Weekly SEND Newsletter | Volume 59
Your Weekly SEND Newsletter | Volume 59
Plus: Shropshire parents demand action on SEND delays
Rafe Houston
July 17, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 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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In the Headlines🔍
If nothing changes, we will reach 850,000 by 2027/28.
Local SEND teams are doing their best under huge pressure - but the system was never built for this scale. That is why UK GovTech is focusing on the SEND crisis and spotlighting to our audiences innovative solutions that are having real impact on the ground
Over 40 councils have now adopted the Agilisys EHCP Tool to save time, improve plan quality, and support children faster.
UK GovTech viewed the tool in action and are encouraging other councils to explore how AI can support your EHCP drafting process and change the lives of children, young people, and families!
Quick Reads📖
SPECIAL EDUCATION REFORMS
Labour's SEND system reforms could phase out EHCPs, aiming to integrate more children with special needs into mainstream schools as a cost-saving measure. While promising increased inclusivity through specialised units and additional teacher training, these changes pose risks, including potential funding reallocations and increased teacher workload. The urgency to address financial sustainability and support all pupils underscores the reform’s significance.
SEND EDUCATION CRISIS
The UK's failure to adequately support the 1.6 million pupils with SEND leaves families financially strained, often requiring significant personal expenditure and legal battles. Reforms are urgently needed to address the lack of appropriate schooling options and avoid exacerbating difficulties for affected families.
EDUCATION GAP
Children with SEND in England are 20 months behind peers, exacerbated by Covid-19's impact. This highlights a critical need for increased funding and targeted interventions to prevent ingrained disadvantages. |  The Guardian |
SPECIAL EDUCATION SYSTEM
Britain's Special Educational Needs system fails to provide adequate support for children, forcing parents into lengthy legal battles and financial strain. The National Autistic Society advocates for reforms focusing on early support and better-equipped teachers, rather than placing undue blame on families seeking fair education for their children. Immediate governmental reforms are crucial to ensure equitable access to education. |  The Telegraph |
This Week Around The UK 🌎
SPECIAL EDUCATION CONCERNS
Derbyshire County Council faces financial and operational challenges as the cost of supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) increases to £38m. Despite a £31m budget deficit and slow EHCP completion rates, the Council aims to improve services. Urgent actions are necessary to address the rising number of children needing support and to ensure timely EHCP processing.
SPECIAL EDUCATION CRISIS
Parents of autistic children in Shropshire face significant delays, waiting up to two years for EHCPs, with only four new case workers being recruited. Parents unite to fight for their children's educational rights, demanding Shropshire Council address these delays urgently as the wait time averages 31 weeks.