KIDS with special needs are being promised better help under a £4billion plan – yet families fear their children could lose the guaranteed support they rely on.
Ministers say the money will mean quicker help in schools and end the long fights parents face for basic support.
Under the package being unveiled today, schools will get new cash to give struggling pupils one-to-one help and small-group sessions as soon as problems appear.
A separate £1.8billion fund will let teachers bring in speech therapists and other specialists whenever they need them.
Officials say an average secondary school will receive the equivalent of more than 160 days of expert help a year.
Every school will also be expected to create an inclusion base – a dedicated space where children who need extra support can get help.
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Teachers will also get extra training so they can spot problems earlier and 60,000 new places will be created for children who need more tailored help.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer insisted getting the “right support should never be a battle” but a “given”.
He added: “That means no more ‘one size fits all’ system that only serves children who fit the mould. Instead, families will get tailored support built around their child’s individual needs, available on their doorstep.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the changes were a “watershed moment for a generation of young people”.
But campaigners have warned the reforms in the Schools White Paper could affect children’s legal rights.
They argue it could become harder to get a legally protected plan or appeal when councils fail to provide support.
Chair of the Disabled Children’s Partnership Anna Bird said the new changes could “transform the lives of hundreds of children”.
But she added: “We are concerned though that Government has failed to answer parents’ questions about possible legal changes that will reduce existing rights. Families are worried these will make it even harder to hold the system to account when things go wrong, or secure an Education,
Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or a special school place if their child needs one.”
The Office for Budget Responsibility says the SEND system faces a £6billion black hole by 2028.
Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott said “Every child deserves to receive the support they need. But it is wrong to narrow the disadvantage gap by dragging everyone down. We know that evidence-based school reforms raise standards and help the most disadvantaged succeed and we must not move away from what works.
“Despite today’s announcement, it remains unclear whether this is new money, and months on how the £6 billion SEND black hole will be filled. This is not money you can find down the back of the sofa.
“Families deserve honesty and cast-iron guarantees that no child with an EHCP will lose the support that many parents have fought for.”
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