LGA responds to new figures for children and young people on education, health and care plans

"All children, including those with SEND, will undoubtedly need additional support in the coming weeks and months due to the impact of the pandemic".

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Responding to annual government figures published today which show that the number of children and young people in England with an education, health and care (EHC) plan has increased by 10 per cent as at January 2021, Cllr Teresa Heritage, Vice Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:

“The continued rise in demand for overall and new EHC plans remains a pressing issue for councils as they strive to provide every child with the best possible support to meet their needs.

“All children, including those with SEND, will undoubtedly need additional support in the coming weeks and months due to the impact of the pandemic.

“The Government needs to urgently complete its ongoing review of the SEND system. It needs to set out reforms that increase mainstream inclusion, provides councils with long-term certainty of funding to meet the needs of all children with SEND, and gives councils the power to hold education partners to account if their provision for identifying and supporting children with SEND is not adequate.”

Notes to Editors

Education, health and care plan statistics