A long-awaited plan to reform the special educational needs and disabilities system has been delayed until 2023, despite a government pledge to set out changes this year.
The government launched its SEND and Alternative Provision Green Paper in March. The Department for Education said at the time that, following a consultation, a “national SEND delivery plan” would be published “later this year”.
But, responding to a question in Parliament today, children’s minister Claire Coutinho said the education secretary had sent letters to the sector confirming that the government would publish a full response to the consultation on the SEND and AP Green Paper and improvement plan “early in the new year”.
Ms Coutinho was speaking during Education Questions in the House of Commons, responding to a question from Conservative MP Selaine Saxby on what assessment the DfE had made of the effectiveness of SEND delivery in rural areas.
Ms Coutinho said: “All local authorities, including those in rural areas, are subject to robust inspections, and Ofsted will shortly be announcing plans for a strengthened inspection framework.”
Wait for SEND support plan
She added: “My right honourable friend [the education secretary] has sent letters to the sector confirming that we will publish a full response to the SEND and AP Green Paper and improvement plan early in the new year.”
Labour shadow education minister Helen Hayes hit back by saying it was eight months since the publication of the Green Paper, and that “children and their families have already been waiting far too long” for the response.,
Education psychologists funding
Alongside the delay announcement, the DfE has also announced funding worth £21 million to go towards training 400 more educational psychologists, as well as the extension of a training programme on assistive technology for teachers to 150 extra schools.
The DfE said the new £21 million funding - which will be available from 2024 - was in addition to £10 million announced earlier this year to train over 200 educational psychologists from September 2023.
Wait ‘disappointing’
In a letter to the sector explaining the delayed response to the SEND Review, education secretary Gillian Keegan said she did not “underestimate the importance of getting this right”, adding that she wants to “understand the extensive feedback we received through the consultation” before publishing the response.
The Association of School and College Leaders said the longer wait for a response was “disappointing”, adding that provision for supporting children with SEND is under “intolerable strain”.
In her letter, Ms Keegan wrote: “Through my own experiences I know meaningful and significant change is necessary to deliver a system that allows every child and young person to reach their potential.
“I do not underestimate the importance of getting this right. That is why I, alongside the new ministerial team, want to take time to listen to children and parents as well as those of you who work tirelessly in the system.
“I want to understand the extensive feedback we received through the consultation before publishing a full response to the SEND and Alternative Provision Green Paper, in an improvement plan. I will publish this early in the new year.”
