Surrey County Council Misses Deadlines for Education Support Plans

Surrey County Council

A recent report from MPs has highlighted that many children in Surrey with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) did not receive their Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) within the required legal time frame. According to the report, only 16.2% of EHCPs in Surrey were issued on time in 2023, far below the statutory 20-week deadline.

Under current laws, local councils must provide an EHCP within 20 weeks of a request from a parent or school. However, the Public Accounts Committee’s report revealed that a significant number of families in England, including those in Surrey, are facing long delays and challenges accessing essential support for their children. The report also mentioned that 4.7% of EHCP decisions in Surrey were contested in tribunals by parents seeking better outcomes for their children.

In total, 5.9% of children aged 5 to 15 in Surrey had an EHCP as of January 2024. Across England, only half of EHCPs were issued within the 20-week statutory deadline in 2023.

Parents of children with SEND have shared their frustrations, with many describing the process as daunting and discouraging. One parent compared the experience to “fighting with a brick wall.”

Government Response

Schools Minister Catherine McKinnell acknowledged the deep-rooted problems affecting SEND services, emphasizing the government’s commitment to addressing these issues. “These problems are deep-rooted and will take time to fix, but we remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver change,” she stated. The government has already committed £1 billion to SEND funding, with £740 million directed to councils for creating more specialist places in mainstream schools. Additionally, the ongoing Curriculum and Assessment Review aims to address barriers that hinder children’s educational progress.

Local Concerns

Monica Harding, the Liberal Democrat MP for Esher and Walton, expressed no surprise at the report’s findings. “The system is broken, failing children, and creating a ‘lost generation’,” she said. Harding has been advocating for better SEND provision in Surrey, noting that 1,800 children in the county are currently out of school due to a lack of available support.

Clare Curran, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Families, and Lifelong Learning, acknowledged that the county’s performance in issuing EHCPs on time was “not at an acceptable level” in 2023. She attributed the delays to staffing shortages and rising demand for SEND support. However, Curran emphasized that the council has been working hard to address these challenges. In September 2023, Surrey invested an additional £15 million into a three-year multi-agency recovery plan to improve services for children with additional needs. Curran highlighted that these efforts have already led to a noticeable improvement, with the council’s timeliness for EHCPs increasing to 69.2% in the second half of 2024—well above the national average of 50.3%.

Source: BBC News

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