‘Vital government sets out reform for SEND system in Spending Review’ – LGA on EPI report on SEND support in schools

Responding to a report by the Education Policy Institute on SEND support across schools in England, Cllr Arooj Shah, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:

“It is vital government sets out its plans for reform of the SEND system in the upcoming Spending Review.

“A key focus of this should be boosting inclusion in mainstream schools, early years settings and colleges, ensuring they have the capacity and expertise to meet the needs of children with SEND.

“Reforms should also include a new national framework for SEND and establishment of Local Inclusion Partnerships to enable more effective assessments, commissioning and collaboration between councils, schools and health. This could be supported by the creation of a National Institute for Inclusive Education as an independent arbiter around inclusive education and support for children and young people with additional needs.”