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“These figures emphasise how vital it is that next week’s Autumn Statement ensures that children’s services are adequately funded so councils can meet this rising demand and ensure children and their families get the support they need, as soon as they need it.

“The Committee is right to describe the failing SEND system as an emergency, and its report reflects councils’ long-standing concerns over the need for more inclusive provision and the immense financial pressures on councils to be adequately addressed.

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

“The growing children’s mental health crisis needs to be recognised as an urgent social concern and tackled with a cross-government plan to support children and young people.

Two thirds of councils have not increased spending on youth services in the past five years, according to a new survey by the Local Government Association, highlighting the need for fresh investment in local grass-roots provision for young people.

More than 1,000 youth and community support workers could be recruited using money removed from a flagship government fund for youth services, according to new analysis by the Local Government Association.

More than half of all councils in England are at risk of not being able to meet demand for secondary school places, according to new analysis by the LGA.

The number of children’s social workers employed by councils will need to increase by 13,000 - nearly a third - over the next decade as a result of growing need for the care and support of children and young people and to reduce increasing reliance on agency staff, new research by the Local Government Association forecasts today.

The number of children with mental health problems seen by social workers has surged by a quarter since before the coronavirus pandemic, amounting to nearly 1,500 kids presenting to councils every week.

“To further support the education of children with special educational needs and disabilities, the Government should urgently complete its ongoing review of the SEND system"