Special educational needs: How will Govt deliver better outcomes for children and young people?
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) holds an evidence session on support for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) at 3.30pm on Monday 18 November. The session follows the National Audit Office’s 2024 report on the subject.
Meeting details
The NAO’s report found that, since 2019, there has been no consistent improvement in outcomes for children and young people with SEN. In 2021-22, 69% of those with SEN move into employment and education after school, compared to 85% of those without SEN. These are similar proportions to 2018-19, despite a real-terms funding increase of 58% to £10.7bn between 2014-15 and 2024-25.
The NAO’s report highlighted a lack of confidence amongst families and children in an SEN system that often falls short of statutory and quality expectations, and is described by the Government as increasingly adversarial. The NAO also warned that when accounting arrangements stopping education-related spending deficits impacting local authorities’ financial position end in March 2026, some two-fifths of local authorities will be at risk of effectively declaring bankruptcy.
Based on the NAO report, the Committee will hear from senior officials at the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC). The session will likely see both Departments challenged on how to ensure the system delivers better outcomes for children and young people.
Other likely topics include how critical financial pressures faced across all local authorities will be relieved, as well as what lessons Government has so far learned that can be incorporated into future changes to the system.