Overview
- Kellie Bright’s BBC Panorama, aired on 6 October, follows families battling for Education, Health and Care Plans and draws on her own struggle for her son, Freddie.
- Parents report refusals and delays that push them toward tribunals, with media citing very high family success rates, and some children receiving stopgap tuition such as 19 hours a week in a library.
- EHCPs in England have climbed from about 354,000 in 2019 to roughly 639,000 by January 2025, leaving councils with estimated high-needs deficits of at least £3.3 billion.
- Education minister Georgia Gould says reforms will prioritise earlier, in‑school support and maintain a legal right to help, with a Schools White Paper due later this year and targeted funding for specialist places.
- The Institute for Fiscal Studies warns SEND costs could rise from £17bn to £22bn by 2029, while the i reports ministers are expected to propose reducing reliance on EHCPs, a prospect that has heightened parents’ anxiety.