‘No easy fix’: Council inquiry reveals ‘crisis’ in special needs support

Camden Council’s inquiry into support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has revealed “growing discontent” and financial pressure with “no easy fix”.

On Tuesday, councillors pored over testimonies from teachers, parents and school heads who say the borough’s SEND system is in “crisis”.

The inquiry gave a sobering insight into the challenges that SEND provision is facing in schools across the borough and nationwide.

A lack of funding, resources, staff shortages and insufficient training had made the situation worse, the report said.

Camden’s situation reflects a tough national picture, with SEND spending creating huge deficits in school budgets.

Over the last decade, demand for SEND support has nearly doubled, government data revealed this year.

In 2014, the Conservative government introduced education health and care plans (EHCPs) for more complex needs.

These meant councils legally had to meet a pupil’s special needs as set out in an EHCP.

Under the system, the local authority assesses a child or young person to decide what they need and how education, health and care services will work together to meet the requirements.

Since 2016, the number of pupils with an EHCP has risen by over 80 per cent.

There has also been a growing rate of autism diagnosis, along with delays in the diagnostic process due to limited healthcare resources.

In Camden, the wait time for a child autism assessment is nearly two years, the inquiry report stated.

“There are other local authorities up and down the country where it is even longer,” it added.

Cllr Sylvia McNamara, who co-authored the report, said “the one word that kept coming up in [their] inquiry was ‘fight’. Parents say [they] have to fight to get their child diagnosed.”

She added that there was not enough support for pupils while parents were awaiting assessment.

Testimonies from parents and school staff also complained of insufficient specialist staff like occupational and speech therapists.

Parents, officers and schools were suffering as a result of “inconsistencies” in support, with some parents feeling disbelieved during their child’s diagnosis.

To get a diagnosis, one parent said they had to “constantly prove, justify, and explain in gruelling detail how [their] child’s disability is impacting everyone”.

Cllr Anna Burrage asked that any next steps include improving the identification of children with ADHD, alongside autism.

The inquiry revealed that school staff had reported an upheaval in SEND services hurting the quality of support.

But it ultimately warned that huge structural problems were at the root of the problem.

National funding for SEND in particular “has not kept pace with increasing demands”, which led to Camden introducing the Exceptional Needs Grant (ENG) to fund additional support in mainstream schools.

These national issues that need fixing will take time, effort, money, and “>probably changes to legislation,” the report stated.

It also urged for a ‘no-blame’ approach to fixing the crisis.

“Children should not be faulted for their reactions to unmet needs or insufficient support, and parents and carers are simply advocating for the best possible care and education for their children.

“Likewise, teachers and staff are often under-resourced and lack the necessary training to provide effective inclusion, despite their efforts.

“Practitioners across various services are stretched by rising demand and limited capacity, while local government leaders are constrained by increasing responsibilities and finite resources.

“Each group is navigating a system that places immense pressures on them without providing adequate means to address underlying issues.

The report recognised that Camden “has tried hard to work creatively within its budget”.

It also pulled out examples of “good innovative practice” such as Camden Kids Talk (CKT), which helps nursery children with the transition to primary school.

“However, there is so much more to be done to fix a system that is currently failing many of Camden’s children with special educational needs,” the report stated.

In terms of proposed changes, the committee expects a report back in February on the 37 recommendations it has made.

These include reducing the workload for SEND coordinators in schools, boosting training for professionals and families, including a developmental framework on autism.

Cllr McNamara said an action plan based on February’s review would follow.

In the meantime, she said the council was working with the North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCLICB) to reduce waiting times for childrens’ assessments.

“What we found in this inquiry is that there is no easy fix to overcome these systemic issues.”

But she expressed hope, quoting from one of the parents interviewed in the inquiry: “Just because things are awful, doesn’t mean we can’t do anything.”