The landscape of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support in England is fraught with significant challenges, notably the prolonged waiting times for Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) and a postcode lottery, which has a huge impact on essential SEND support.
These issues not only hinder the educational progress of students with SEND but also exacerbate existing inequalities across the country.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
- What is an EHCP?
- Why Are There Long EHCP Waiting Lists?
- The Current Situation: Rising Demand and Systemic Strain
- The ‘Postcode Lottery’ of SEND Support
- The Impact on Schools, Families, and Students
- How to Minimise the Impact of Long EHCP Waiting Lists
- No More Waiting: Something Needs to Change
What Is an EHCP?
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document in England that outlines the special educational, health, and social care support a child or young person (aged 0-25) with significant Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) requires to thrive in education.
It is designed to ensure that children who need additional support beyond what mainstream schools can typically provide receive appropriate funding, resources, and interventions.
An EHCP includes:
- A detailed assessment of the child’s needs (educational, health, and social care).
- Specific support the child requires (e.g., 1:1 teaching assistants, speech therapy, specialist equipment).
- Long-term goals for their education and personal development.
Having an EHCP means schools and local authorities are legally required to provide the support outlined in the plan.
Why Are There Long EHCP Waiting Lists?
Despite being a legal entitlement, thousands of children face months-long delays in getting an EHCP assessment and approval. The main reasons include:
- Surging Demand: Since 2014, the number of EHCP applications has risen each year. Schools and parents are applying in greater numbers due to growing SEND needs, with over 1 million pupils requiring SEN support but not having an EHCP.
- Underfunding & Staff Shortages: Local authorities lack funding to keep pace with demand. A shortage of educational psychologists also means assessments take longer, creating bottlenecks.
- Missed Legal Deadlines: Councils must process EHCP applications within 20 weeks, but the BBC found that eight councils across the country actually met this deadline less than 5% of the time last year.
The Current Situation: Rising Demand and Systemic Strain
As of January 2024, over 1.6 million pupils in England were identified as having special educational needs, marking an increase of 101,000 from the previous year. In the last decade, the number of children with an EHCP has risen by a staggering 140% – but funding has not kept up with this demand for additional support.
This surge in demand has placed immense pressure on the EHCP assessment process. This surge in demand has placed immense pressure on the EHCP assessment process. For example, reports show that over 20,000 cases have waited longer than the legal EHCP assessment limit of 20 weeks, with some children waiting over a year for a result.
With these delays in mind, there have been calls from educators, organisations, and MPs for a universal SEND screening programme for Year 1 pupils, focusing on assessing key cognitive skills such as phonics, vocabulary, and working memory. Many special education needs remain unrecognised, and some educators argue that the current diagnostic systems are not equitable or inclusive.
The ‘Postcode Lottery’ of SEND Support
The quality and timeliness of SEND support vary markedly across different regions, leading to a ‘postcode lottery’ that affects educational outcomes. Ofsted inspectors found that young people and their families are often reaching “crisis point” before their needs are actually being met, with long waiting lists at risk of being the norm.
Here’s what these regional disparities look like, and why it’s happening:
- Funding Inequities: Young people in neighbouring local authorities could experience vastly different EHCP waiting times. For example, in Windsor and Maidenhead, 95.3% of EHC plans were issued within the 20-week limit, whilst for Surrey it was only 16.2%.
- Assessment Delays: In 2024, it was reported that more than 20,000 cases were waiting longer than the 20-week limit for EHCP assessments, with as many as 3,000 waiting for over a year. In Surrey, more than four in five children face long waits for EHCPs, with only 16% being issued within the 20-week statutory timeframe.
- Staffing Shortages in SEND Schools: Recruitment for SEMH and autism-specific roles remains a challenge because of a lack of specialist training. Milk Education’s expert SEND team work with highly skilled and experienced staff, from a range of backgrounds, who can help to support in both mainstream and SEND schools.
The Impact on Schools, Families, and Students
Delays in EHCPs being approved means that students, parents, and staff all suffer as a result.
Students & Families:
- Students miss out on crucial early interventions and appropriate support.
- Parents and carers feel uncertainty and are often forced to reduce work hours or spend thousands on tutoring for their child, creating financial strain.
- Family mental health suffers from prolonged uncertainty. Some parents have reported having to take time off work due to the stress of the delayed EHCP process.
- Educational progress stalls during the waiting period, with reports of pupils being left without education for up to two years.
School Impact:
- Teaching teams stretch resources to bridge support gaps, putting immense pressure on staff.
- Schools struggle to provide adequate support without formal plans, and this creates budget implications as schools try to implement temporary solutions.
- Staff face increased workload managing interim support measures.
How to Minimise the Impact of Long EHCP Waiting Lists
While systemic reforms are essential, schools can adopt practical, low-burden strategies to support SEND students without increasing stress for staff:
1. Use Existing Classroom Strategies for Early Intervention
Instead of adding workload, schools can make small adjustments to teaching methods that benefit all learners:
- Universal Screenings: Identify students struggling with literacy, numeracy, or communication early using in-class assessments rather than formal diagnostic tests. This can then help staff to differentiate their teaching appropriately.
- Differentiated Learning: Even if pupils don’t have an EHCP, all classes should receive differentiated learning based on individual needs. Ensure that you’re meeting these needs through different activities and a variety of teacher and pupil-led learning. Milk Academy offers a range of SEND CPD Courses for you to develop your lesson planning.
- Multi-Tiered Support Systems (MTSS): MTSS is an evidence-based approach to personalising instructions and interventions for students. Implementing simple intervention steps, such as visual supports, movement breaks, or peer mentoring, ensures that pupils can receive tailored support before receiving a specialist assessment. MTSS is a collaborative way for all educators to support pupils academically, socially, and behaviourally.
2. Prioritise Practical, Bite-Sized SEND CPD
Many teachers feel unprepared to support SEND pupils, but full-day training sessions can be impractical. Instead:
- Offer short, focused CPD sessions (e.g., 15-minute SEND strategies during staff meetings).
- Create a staff knowledge-sharing hub where teachers can swap successful strategies for common SEND needs like ADHD or autism.
3. Strengthen Family Partnerships
Teachers often bear the brunt of parent frustrations due to EHCP delays. Streamlining communication can reduce stress:
- Communication is key. Use template emails, short, pre-recorded video updates, or phone calls to keep parents informed without lengthy meetings.
- If you do need a formal meeting, keep it positive and reassure parents that you are there to support the child and have their best interests at heart. Parent-teacher relationships should feel collaborative, not confrontational.
- If possible, create a parent resource page on your school’s website, with practical home support strategies to reduce pressure on teachers.
No More Waiting: Something Needs to Change
Addressing the regional disparities in SEND support is crucial for fostering an equitable educational landscape.
While systemic changes are necessary, schools can proactively implement strategies to support their SEND students, mitigating some of the challenges posed by these inequities. By fostering inclusive practices, enhancing professional development, and advocating for fair funding, schools can play a pivotal role in ensuring all students receive the support they need to thrive.
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