Towards the end of last year, the Government’s cross-party Education Committee (which scrutinises the work of the Department for Education) launched a major new inquiry focused on finding solutions to the crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.
It’s inviting people – parents and carers of children and young people with SEND, included – to submit evidence, by presenting their views based on their experience, for the committee to consider before reporting back its findings.
The committee says that there have been “a number of recent reports that have set out in detail the extent of the crisis in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, which is letting down children and their families, creating intense pressure on local authority funding and on schools.”
It adds: “This inquiry will focus on how to achieve both short term stability and long-term sustainability for the SEND system to improve experiences and outcomes for children and young people.”
It says: “We will take particular care to ensure that the voices and experiences of children and young people with SEND are at the heart of our inquiry.”
It’s welcoming evidence from parents and carers, early years settings, schools, local authorities, voluntary sector organisations, professionals, sector bodies and anyone else with an interest in the system of support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
The committee intends to publish the evidence it receives online, although it says that given the sensitive nature of its inquiry, the committee will not publish all of the evidence it receives.
The terms of reference cover the following themes:
- Support for children and young people with SEND
- Current and future SEND need
- Current and future model of SEND provision
- Accountability and inspection of SEND provision
- Finance, funding and capacity of SEND provision
The deadline for written submissions is Thursday 30 January 2025, at 6pm.
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