Increased activity may give the impression of making positive change, but is a total waste of energy if nothing substantive long term happens, be it in SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) education or any other needy area. Ok, I’m stating the obvious: I know that there is a huge problem to be addressed, but it isn’t a new problem.
Children at the centre of everything?
Government publications, and those from other official agencies, all avow that children are at the centre of everything, be it to do with education, health or social services. But while this demonstrates good intentions, it is very difficult to determine if that is actually the case, and leads to some very difficult philosophical questions about what is best, who makes the decisions and how they are applied to particular circumstances, and whose needs take preference.
Education, or more correctly schooling, is a rite of passage, ostensibly for all children. Inevitably, not all thrive within the system as it is currently operated. Leaving aside any debate over schooling as opposed to education, the question is always how do we manage the needs of children and families, against the demands of society and government?
Education for disabled children in the early 20th century
This is not a new situation, as historically it goes back to the late 19th century, with the advent of compulsory state schooling. While there was progress over provision for the blind, deaf or epileptic child, it wasn’t until the 1913 parliamentary debate, proposed by the President of the Board of Education, Mr. J. A. Pease, in which the issue of ‘feeble mindedness’ in adults was seen to be an increasing problem that would be helped by some form of education for the ‘feeble-minded’ child.
“This Bill will enable special schools to be created with three objects – one to enable all doubtful cases of feeble-minded children to be properly diagnosed in those schools, secondly to determine which are educable and which ineducable…”
Provision for SEND children is still a problem
Moving rapidly forward to July 2006, the Select Committee on Education and Skills, Third Report, included a Brief History of Special Educational Needs (SEN), which highlights the progress and difficulties of SEND provision, and which recognised some of the issues, most of which were still being visited on parents and children.
“Having received over 230 written submissions, taken evidence from over 40 witnesses in oral evidence, made visits to schools, and having considered the recent Warnock report, as well as Ofsted and Audit Commission reports, it is clear that there are significant problems with the current system of SEN provision, and high levels of dissatisfaction amongst parents and teachers. In their written memorandum Ofsted have said that “SEN is becoming more of a confusing and litigious area than ever before.””
Breaking news: The latest report calls for urgent change to the present system
The Fifth Report – Solving the SEND Crisis of the Education Committee, published 18 Sept 2025, is a daunting 176 pages (422 paragraphs) plus an additional 33 pages comprising two appendices, supplementary information and details of submissions. The summary of conclusions and recommendations (95 paragraphs) can be found on pages 154 -176 of the report.
Whilst the tone is supportive and thorough, it is limited to considerations of the crisis in SEND schooling within a system that has consistently failed to deliver since the introduction of Statements (SEN, statements of Special Educational Needs) under the 1981 Education Act. Statements were, in the main, unable to fulfil their remit, due to limited financial backing and a system of gatekeepers within the NHS and LEAs. This latest starts by outlining the extent of the problems in current provision, which is now acknowledged to fall short on timely assessment and provision, thereby not meeting needs of parents with SEND children, and particularly those with EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plan) and the attendant statuary responsibilities.
However, in the first instance I recommend reading the government’s own overview “Solving the SEND crisis: report calls for culture shift and funding to make mainstream education genuinely inclusive”, which summarises the main recommendations rather than having to read the whole report.
The following quotation from the full report highlights an area of overall concern that may make delivery of any reform highly difficult:
On page176, paragraph 95, the new report states:
“To plan effectively for future capacity and ensure the right support is in place, the Department must take a data driven approach, developing a more robust understanding of need by systematically gathering and analysing relevant, high-quality data. This should include a national SEND data strategy that requires local authorities and education settings to collect and report standardised, high-quality data on levels of need, current provision, capacity, and projected demand. This would require clear definitions and metrics for identifying and categorising SEND across mainstream and specialist settings and mandatory annual data submissions aligned with school and local authority planning cycles. (Recommendation, Paragraph 322)”
Worrying government policy on data collection and use
This area of government policy is worrying, not in the need for data and how it is used appropriately, but in its storage, safeguarding and regulation. The awarding of contracts outside of the UK and the scraping of data as witnessed in the US, should raise concerns for every parent of every school age child, SEND or not.
The report’s proposals will take some time to digest fully, particularly for the government, which will have a difficult path to tread, weaving between the multitude of recommendations while keeping an eye on expenditure, and assuaging increasingly vocal and organised parents and carers. There is no guarantee as to which elements the government will take on board and will be included in a White Paper leading to Legislation and Regulations. Once the White Paper is published, it will be possible to more thoroughly scrutinise the proposed legislation.
Change is not optional
Finally, on page 149, paragraph 327 of the report:
“Change is not optional – it is urgent and essential. The Department for Education must act decisively, working across government and with all stakeholders including children with SEND and their families to deliver a SEND system that is inclusive, fair, and fit for the future. Every child and young person with SEND has the right to thrive in education. We must not wait another decade to make that a reality.”
Change may not be optional, but past experience does not instil me with sufficient confidence that the changes will be anything other than considerable activity without the necessary improvement in the lives of SEND children, their families, carers and the teaching profession.
