School leaders have called on the government to urgently publish its ongoing SEND review after repeated delays during the Covid pandemic.

Marijke Miles, chair of the NAHT school leaders’ union’s SEND council, has called for action to address a crisis in funding for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

The SEND review was launched by former education secretary Gavin Williamson more than two years ago.

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The process has been delayed on several occasions. Earlier this year, when questioned by MPs, senior Department for Education officials were unable to say when the findings would be made public.

Speaking ahead of the NAHT’s SEND conference today, Ms Miles said: “It is hugely frustrating that two years on from starting the review, the government seems no nearer to publishing its findings. Government needs to urgently progress the SEND review and start implementing the changes required to address long-standing systemic shortcomings.

SEND support in schools: ‘Long-standing systemic shortcomings’

“We need to flip the system, to make SEND support needs-led and not resource-limited, and lift the barriers to cross-sector joint working, so that education, health and social care are each able to work together effectively, for the benefit of all pupils with SEND.

“There is an opportunity in the imminent spending review for government to clearly signal the value they place on investing in the future of every child and young person.”

The NAHT’s SEND conference, entitled “New Perspectives on Neurodiversity - Needs, Names and Knowledge”, is taking place today.

Professionals from a range of sectors - including education, health and care - will discuss topics such as how to help parents get the best outcomes for their children, and the government’s behaviour hub programme.

Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi recently told headteachers that the SEND review was a high priority.

During a question and answer session at the NAHT’s annual conference earlier this month, he said he “recognised the urgency” for making system improvements for pupils with special educational needs.

Last year MPs warned that a generation of children with SEND were not getting the support they needed because of “a nightmare of bureaucracy, buck-passing and confusion”.

The Commons Education Select Committee said that the poor implementation of SEND reforms to support children and young people had thrown families into crisis, put local councils under pressure and left schools struggling to cope.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Our SEND review is looking to further ensure the SEND system is consistent, high quality and integrated across education, health and care.

“We want to balance our commitment to deliver real, sustainable change with ensuring that any reforms will reflect the impact of the pandemic, and we remain committed to publishing proposals for public consultation as soon as possible.”