In October 2019, the Department for Education Select Committee published a report following an 18-month inquiry into Government reforms of the Special Educational Needs and Disability System. The implementation of these reforms has had significant implications on pupils, with 27% of pupils with SEN support, 93,800 pupils, receiving fixed-term exclusions in 2017, and the percentage of SEND pupils attending state secondary schools falling from 43.6% in January 2011 to 34.2% in January 2019. 

Consequently, the Committee made key recommendations to further strengthen and improve SEND provision, including a more rigorous inspection framework for local authorities and a direct line for parents and schools to appeal directly to the Department for Education. According to government data from 2019, 14.9% of all pupils in England have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Of those, only 3.1% have Education and Healthcare Plans (EHCPs).  

In late 2019 the Prime Minister has announced £780 million extra for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in 2020/21. This funding is intended to give every pupil access to the education that is right for them and to ensure no pupil is held back from reaching their potential. 

The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown have had a severe negative impact on access to education and healthcare services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Ofsted has reported that they have regressed in their development due to lack of services and delays in accessing services.

This timely event will explore what the future landscape looks like for SEND access, funding and service quality as we emerge from the Covid-19 era. It features high-level updates from senior bodies and case studies covering early years education through to post-16 education.