The role of healthcare professionals in diagnosing and supporting
children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
will be examined by the Education Committee.
MPs will first question witnesses on the challenges faced by the
workforce of healthcare professionals such as occupational
therapists and speech and language therapists, as well as of
educational psychologists who have a statutory role in assessing
children for education health and care (EHC) plans.
In a second panel, the cross-party Committee will look at how the
NHS interacts with the education and local government sectors,
and at how health services can be better held to account.
Recent years have seen a rise in pupils requiring specialist
support. The number of children and young people with EHC plans
increased to 576,474 in January 2024, up 11.5% from 2023. About
one-third of those pupils are diagnosed with autism. Among pupils
requiring SEND support, but who do not have an EHC Plan, 26%
require support with speech and communication and 22% have
social, emotional and mental health needs. The number of pupils
with a physical disability increased 10% between 2015/16 and
2023/24.
Meanwhile, a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language
Therapists found that 19% of posts in the profession were vacant
in early 2024. Local authorities have told the Committee of a
short supply of educational psychologists, and research by Royal
College of Occupational Therapists suggests the majority of the
workforce have seen rising demand.
The Committee will ask about the impacts that the gap between
supply and demand of healthcare professionals has in education
settings, how workloads could be reduced and how commissioning
and access to services could be simplified.
In the second panel, MPs will be interested to hear about ways to
improve strategic collaboration between healthcare professionals,
local authorities and schools, how best practice can be shared,
and the role of Family Hubs. There will also be questions about
how local NHS leaders can be held to account for the delivery of
services for children with statutory EHC plans or who receive
SEND support.
Witnesses from 10am
- Lisa O'Connor, Vice President at Association of Educational
Psychologists
- Professor Ian Kessler, Professor of Public Policy and
Management at Kings College London
- Janet Harrison, Head of Service at Leicestershire Partnership
NHS Trust and Member at The Royal College of Speech and Language
Therapists
From 11am
- Ms Marie Gascoigne, speech, language and communication policy
expert, adviser and consultant at Better Communications CIC
- Sarah Walter, Director, ICS Network at NHS
Confederation
- Alison Stewart, Head of SEND at South West London Integrated
Care Board
