This webinar has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's School Inclusion & Effectiveness Manager, Samantha Caley for the attention of all Slough headteachers and SENDCos.

Improving SEND Provision:

Can a new Labour government fix a system in crisis?

Date of Event: Thursday, January 9th 2025

Time of Event: 10:15 AM — 4:30 PM 

In March 2024, the then Conservative government’s Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, admitted that SEND provision in England is in the grip of a “crisis”, and also acknowledged that parents were having to “fight to get the right support” for children with SEND. Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT observes that: “we are in the middle of a full-blown crisis when it comes to SEND.” Hundreds of children with special educational needs in England have been waiting for a year or more to be issued with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that details the support they require, with children in some local authorities waiting over two years to access support, according to a recent report by the Guardian. Between 2019 and 2023, the number of EHCPs issued to children and young people rose 72%, to more than 500,000, but dedicated funding from central government for special education needs and disabilities (SEND) has only risen by 42%. Meanwhile, two in three special schools were at or over capacity in the last academic year. To book a place for this webinar, please follow the link: Improving SEND Provision: Can a new Labour government fix a system in crisis? | Public Policy Exchange