The Government has pledged £200 million of SEND funding to ensure every teacher receives training to better support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This is a significant and welcome step forward – reinforcing the message that ‘Every teacher is a teacher of SEND’.
At present, access to additional funding for children with more complex needs is closely linked to an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Under the Children and Families Act 2014, (a) the local authority must secure that an EHC plan is prepared for the child or young person, and (b) once an EHC plan has been prepared, it must maintain the plan.
However, as the number of children requiring additional support continues to rise, so too does the number of EHCPs – placing increasing financial pressure on local authorities. It’s hardly surprising therefore, that the Government’s SEND review is looking at reducing the numbers of EHCPs, so that only children with the most severe and complex needs will qualify.
This potential shift has understandably raised concerns among families. EHCPs are legal documents that guarantee provision, and any suggestion of change can bring anxiety and uncertainty for parents, particularly if their child’s EHCP could be withdrawn.
What remains unclear is how these changes will be implemented in practice. While funding has been committed to upskill teachers, the details of how this will be delivered are still emerging.
Advice For Your School
Where funding is available and services such as Soundswell are invited to quote to deliver what is on an individual EHCP, the funding is often insufficient. It is uneconomical to send a therapist to a school for one session with one child to deliver intervention for a specified amount of time. Wherever we can, we suggest to schools that they pool the funding, and the therapist will see several children on their visit.
A no brainer surely?
So you might think – but this is surprisingly difficulty to organise!
It’s worth trying to make this happen though, as significant savings could be made.
According to Connie Dimsdale, Reporter for the I-paper, “It is understood that existing plans will be protected until 2030. Between 2030 and 2035, children will be expected to transition to the reformed SEND system, where EHCPs may be harder to retain, and reserved for those pupils who have the greatest needs…”
That said, the proposed changes also present opportunities.
The new system aims to make support more accessible without the need for an EHCP. For example, children could receive services such as speech and language therapy without going through the lengthy assessment process. This could be particularly beneficial for those whose needs are significant but not currently considered severe enough to qualify for specialist support, and whose needs may limit their life chances.
What Could This Mean In Practice?
If implemented effectively, these changes could be very positive and bring several benefits for schools and families:
- Additional funding for schools
- Staff become more skilled at meeting SEND needs
- Faster access to specialist services
- Families shouldn’t have to ‘fight’ anymore
- Reduced pressure on families to secure support through formal plans
Everyone wants the best possible outcome from this change – it has to work. As Speech and Language Therapists working in schools, supporting our colleagues in education on a daily basis, this is what we would like to see:
For Children and Families
A resolution of the problem of meeting SLCN on EHCPs now…making it easier to manage the post-2030 transition.
And may go some way to allaying parental fears
For Staff
Identification of what staff need (Soundswell can help with this)
Training will be key (Soundswell can support with this)
Opportunities for empirical learning – an educational approach that focusses on learning through direct experience and practice rather than theoretical instrauction alone. This method is particularly effective in fields that require practical skills. The core idea is to engage learners in real world tasks that mirror the challenges they will face in their professional environment. (Soundswell can also support with this)
Access to coaching and mentoring on an on-going basis – evidence shows best outcomes are achieved when settings incorporate continuous coaching and mentoring (And soundswell can most definitely help with this!)
As Connie Dimsdale goes on to say in her report, “Ministers have pledged to boost SEND provision in mainstream schools, with plans to increase staffing with more money for specialists such as speech and language therapists.”
Looking Ahead
As demand for services like speech and language therapy is likely to grow, particularly as more schools look to enhance their in-house SEND support. For schools that have not previously commissioned external services such as ours, now may be the right time to explore what support is available and how it could meet the needs of your pupils.
While there is still much to be clarified, one thing is certain: the landscape of SEND support is changing. With careful implementation, this could mark a positive shift towards earlier, more inclusive, and more accessible support for children and families.
Why not become a ‘Soundswell’ school?
Read one of our most recent posts how to plan your speech and language therapy requirements as you prepare for the next academic year, and get in touch with Diana or Jo to discuss your school’s requirements in more detail.
