Major reforms to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England are at risk of failure due to severe staffing shortages in schools, the country’s largest education union has warned. The National Education Union (NEU) contends that schools lack the necessary funding to hire sufficient specialist staff, undermining the government’s push for inclusive mainstream education.
The warning centers on the government’s SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, launched in 2023. The plan aims to create a more inclusive system where children with SEND receive support within mainstream schools earlier and more effectively. Analysts note the reform was a response to rising demand and criticism of a postcode lottery for support.
“The political will is there, but the practical resources are not,” a source within a major teaching union, who requested anonymity, told SourceRated. “Heads are being asked to perform miracles with shrinking real-term budgets and a chronic shortage of teaching assistants and specialist teachers.”
Department for Education (DfE) statistics show a sustained increase in pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), the legal documents outlining SEND support. This rising demand coincides with widespread reports of recruitment and retention crises for support staff across the sector. Local government officials have repeatedly highlighted the strain that high-needs funding places on council budgets.
While the DfE has pointed to increased high-needs funding, unions and school leaders argue the money fails to match the scale and complexity of demand. The final success of the inclusivity agenda, experts suggest, may hinge on the next government’s spending review. Without a significant investment in the workforce, they warn, the reforms risk becoming another unmet promise, leaving vulnerable children and overstretched schools to bear the consequences.