MPs to examine the NHS role in solving the SEND crisis
The role of healthcare professionals in diagnosing and supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will be examined by the Education Committee.
Meeting details
MPs will first question witnesses on the challenges faced by the workforce of healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists and speech and language therapists, as well as of educational psychologists who have a statutory role in assessing children for education health and care (EHC) plans.
In a second panel, the cross-party Committee will look at how the NHS interacts with the education and local government sectors, and at how health services can be better held to account.
Recent years have seen a rise in pupils requiring specialist support. The number of children and young people with EHC plans increased to 576,474 in January 2024, up 11.5% from 2023. About one-third of those pupils are diagnosed with autism. Among pupils requiring SEND support, but who do not have an EHC Plan, 26% require support with speech and communication and 22% have social, emotional and mental health needs. The number of pupils with a physical disability increased 10% between 2015/16 and 2023/24.
Meanwhile, a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists found that 19% of posts in the profession were vacant in early 2024. Local authorities have told the Committee of a short supply of educational psychologists, and research by Royal College of Occupational Therapists suggests the majority of the workforce have seen rising demand.
The Committee will ask about the impacts that the gap between supply and demand of healthcare professionals has in education settings, how workloads could be reduced and how commissioning and access to services could be simplified.
In the second panel, MPs will be interested to hear about ways to improve strategic collaboration between healthcare professionals, local authorities and schools, how best practice can be shared, and the role of Family Hubs. There will also be questions about how local NHS leaders can be held to account for the delivery of services for children with statutory EHC plans or who receive SEND support.