Primary pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) living in affluent areas have a higher chance than those in poorer areas of being diagnosed with certain disabilities and conditions, research has revealed.
A report published today by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) found those pupils in wealthier areas have higher chances of being diagnosed with “less prevalent” and “more precisely defined conditions” - including dyslexia, dyspraxia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The research, funded by the British Academy, also found that children in primaries in more affluent areas are more likely to have an education, health and care plan (EHCP), which is a higher-level SEND provision.
It found that among all children with SEND, 17.5 per cent of primary school children living in the most deprived areas have an EHCP, around 5 per cent lower than children in more affluent areas (22 per cent).
This indicates that there is an “unmet need for support and provision among children living in more deprived areas”, the report suggests.
It adds that “additional resourcing and funding is needed” to meet the needs of children with SEND in less-affluent areas.
Dr Tammy Campbell, a visiting senior fellow at LSE, analysed 4.5 million children in state primary schools using the National Pupil Database. She found that 16.2 per cent of children in primary school are recorded with SEND - 12.9 per cent at “support” level and 3.3 per cent with an EHCP.
Around 11.9 per cent of children in more affluent areas are recorded with autistic spectrum conditions, compared with 10.3 per cent in the most deprived areas.
The gap is larger for children with specific learning difficulties (SPLD), which includes conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD - around 15 per cent of children with SEND living in the most affluent decile are recorded with SPLD compared with about 6 per cent in the most deprived.
Both SPLD and autism require diagnosis by professionals outside of the immediate school environment, the report says.
An additional 3.4 per cent of children are recorded with physical disabilities in the most affluent areas, with slightly lower recorded for the most deprived children at 2.3 per cent.
Around 1.3 per cent are recorded with hearing conditions in the most deprived areas compared with 2.1 per cent in the most affluent areas.
Less well-defined SEND conditions
The LSE report also found that children with SEND living in more deprived areas are more likely to be recorded in the National Pupil Database with what it describes as less well-defined, more commonly documented SEND conditions.
Around 32 per cent of children with SEND are recorded with speech, language and communication needs in the most deprived areas, compared with 25 per cent in most affluent areas.
Less well-defined SEND conditions also include moderate learning difficulties, with around 20 per cent of the most deprived children and 15 per cent of least deprived children recorded with this condition.
Children in the most deprived areas are also more likely to have social, emotional and mental health difficulties (18 per cent), compared with 15 per cent in the most affluent areas.
A system ‘fraught with confusion’
This is “worrying”, the report says, and proves that the system of “appealing for necessary provision for their child’s SEND” is “fraught with confusion…bureaucratic nightmares, buck-passing and a lack of accountability”.
Commenting on the research, Dr Campbell said that any reduction in government spending on specialist provision would be “a move in the wrong direction”.
She said: “Until the wider primary education system is made significantly more inclusive, cuts to EHCPs are likely only to worsen unmet need. This may further damage children’s experiences and is likely to hit those in deprived areas particularly hard.”
DfE SEND reforms
The research comes after controversy surrounding Department for Education contract documents, which suggest that government SEND reforms aim to bring down costs or reduce the number of new EHCPs.
A contract notice, published last month, for the testing of key reforms in the DfE’s SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, prompted concern as it said the government’s Change Programme aimed to address the “cost burden” caused by demand for services.
Tes revealed how this contract notice was subsequently edited two days later to remove mention of costs.
This followed earlier concerns about contract documents that suggested consultants were working toward targets to reduce EHCPs.
In September, children’s minister David Johnston insisted that the government was not targeting a 20 per cent reduction in new EHCPs after MPs raised concerns.
The concerns, raised by Commons Education Select Committee chair Robin Walker, related to a DfE contract with consultancy firm Newton Europe that referred to “targeting at least a 20 per cent reduction in new EHCPs issued”.
Deliver change
A DfE spokesperson said: “Our published SEND and AP improvement plan sets out how we will make sure all children across the country with SEND or in alternative provision, receive the support they need, with earlier intervention, consistent high standards and less bureaucracy.
“The government’s high needs funding for those with complex needs is rising to £10.5 billion in 2024-25 - an increase of over 60 per cent since 2019-20, alongside investment of £2.6 billion in high needs capital over this Spending Review and doubling the number of special free school places to 19,000 once those in the pipeline are complete.”
The spokesperson added that the DfE will continue “to support the system in the immediate term to deliver change and improve the experiences and outcomes of both children and young people with SEND, and those who need alternative provision”.
