Public Accounts Committee report on SEND: CCN responds

CCN Latest News, CCN News 2025 | 15 January 2025

Today the Public Accounts Committee has published a new report on support for young people with special educational needs and disabilities, with MPs calling for reform to the system.

The select committee’s report mirrors many of the recommendations put forward by the County Councils Network, which has long campaigned for reform to the SEND system including urgent clarity on how government proposes to address councils’ deficits and how ministers intend to make mainstream education more inclusive for pupils with needs.

Below, the County Councils Network responds to the report’s findings.

Cllr Roger Gough, Children’s Social Care Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“Today’s Public Accounts Committee report, which follows the County Councils Network’s research last summer, is the latest in a line of reports that conclude the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system is no longer viable. We understand the frustration from those trying to access support and it is clear that the system is no longer working for parents, families, councils and schools alike.

“While government has committed to reform, it is vital that it is done quickly and correctly. Both councils and families can ill-afford to wait: the deficits accrued by local authorities are set to reach £5.9bn this year, with county and unitary councils accounting for over half of this figure amidst a deluge of requests for support. Therefore we need the government to set out a comprehensive reforms package and begin to implement them within the next 12 months, including immediate clarity on how government intends to address councils’ deficits.

“Our research has shown that educational outcomes have not improved despite spend skyrocketing and children’s needs becoming more recognised, so the case for change is unquestionable. A key plank of reform should be to incentivise mainstream schools to meet the needs of more SEND pupils, which could reduce the reliance on specialist placements, and we back the Public Accounts Committee’s calls for clarity on how inclusive education will be achieved.

“If carried out successfully, reform can change the system to work better for everyone involved, but it cannot be done on a shoestring. The Spending Review must set out sustainable resources to enable local government to begin laying the foundations for change.”