EHCP reform will ensure more children get help, says IPPR

Responding to today’s SEND reform announcement, Harry Quilter-Pinner, executive director at IPPR, said:

“Demand for EHCPs has soared by 250 per cent since 2014, with thousands of young people waiting more than a year for an initial assessment. The system is broken.

“EHCPs were only ever intended for exceptional cases, but cuts, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis have driven up need while stripping back schools’ capacity to provide support.

“Reforming the SEND system to invest more in early support will ensure more children get help sooner — and that EHCPs are reserved for those with the most complex needs.”