Responding to a new Education Policy Institute report which
identified a postcode lottery in schools' ability to identify
special educational needs (SEND) Paul Whiteman, general secretary
at school leaders' union NAHT, said: “Early identification of
special educational needs is vital - the sooner additional needs
are spotted, the sooner support can be put in place, and this
needs to start pre-school.
“However, family support services including children's centres,
which played an important role in children's social development
and timely identification of needs, were scaled back dramatically
following cuts under the previous government.
"Local authorities have been forced to raise thresholds for
support both in the early years and upwards, and there are
increasing concerns about the lower levels of language
development in nursery and school starters. This is compounded by
shortages of specialist staff like speech and language therapists
and education psychologists, which impact the speed and type of
support which can be provided.
“School work hard to plug the gaps, and identify and meet pupils'
needs, but they too are hamstrung by shortages of funding and
staff expertise.
“When schools and families struggle to access appropriate
support, this may impact on behaviour and attendance - this
should be seen as an opportunity to identify needs and examine
what can be done across services to meet them.
“NAHT has long called for improved teacher training in
identification of SEND and more efficient referrals for support -
as well as better information sharing between services, and
reform and much greater investment to ensure provision reflects
children's needs and is not rationed depending on the funding
available.”
