As a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), and also as a serving Surrey County Councillor, I've seen first-hand how the system for supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is failing families both in our county and across the country. The findings of our latest report paint a worrying picture – one that I fear could lead to a lost generation of children unless the Government recognises the urgency of the situation and is persuaded to act decisively.
Families in Reigate, Redhill, Banstead and our villages - and far beyond - are facing an uphill battle to secure the support their children need and are legally entitled to. The current process is adversarial, chaotic, and, too often, insurmountable for those who lack the resources or knowledge to navigate it. Astonishingly, 98% of cases taken to tribunal are decided in favour of families: a clear indication of a system forcing parents into unnecessary and gruelling legal battles for no valid purpose.
Of course, this isn’t simply a matter of bureaucratic inefficiency – this is a crisis that will have a direct and potentially devastating impact on children's futures. As the PAC has reported, in some parts of the country, parents face significantly longer waits for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) than others. For example, while 71.5% of EHCPs are completed on time in Lambeth, only 19.2% are in neighbouring Southwark. Such discrepancies are unacceptable and create a profoundly unjust postcode lottery.
It is well known that demand for SEND services has risen sharply in recent years, with a 140% increase in EHCP applications since 2015. Yet, as was clear to me when the committee was sitting, officials don't fully understand the reasons behind this surge and, even more worryingly, don't feel an urgent need to try to understand. Without this understanding, it is impossible to overcome the barriers to education many children face.
The financial toll of this broken system is immense. Nearly half of local authorities are at risk of effective bankruptcy within 15 months due to mounting SEND-related overspends. Piecemeal solutions from successive governments have failed to address this existential threat. Without a comprehensive and fair funding model, local authorities across England will continue to struggle, compromising essential services and support. The PAC’s report is clear: the Government must urgently work with local authorities to create a financially sustainable and equitable system. Families in Reigate and across the country cannot wait any longer for meaningful reform.
For too long, our most vulnerable children have been let down by a system that should be lifting them up. This is a crisis that has festered for years, and now we are at a crossroads. My great hope is that this report serves as a wake-up call. Without immediate action, we risk condemning a generation of children to missed opportunities and unrealised potential.
The time to act is now.
