Nearly a third of support plans for young people with special educational needs in Sheffield completed late

Nearly a third of support plans for young people with special educational needs in Sheffield overshot the legal time limit for their completion last year, new figures reveal.
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Campaigners say delays across the country are “deeply frustrating” and reflect a system which is failing too many people with disabilities.

Department for Education data shows only 69.1 per cent of the 288 new education, health and care plans issued in Sheffield in 2019 were processed within 20 weeks, meaning 89 people waited longer.

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Councils draw up EHC plans to explain the extra help required by someone with special educational, health and social care needs.

Dame Christine LenehanDame Christine Lenehan
Dame Christine Lenehan
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They were introduced in 2014 to replace statements for people with special educational needs and disability (SEND), and can be given to someone from their birth, up to the age of 25.

Despite the hold-ups, the figure in Sheffield still represents a big improvement on the previous year, when 42.3 per cent were dealt with in the 20-week timeframe.

The figures exclude cases for which exemptions to the time limit applied.

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The Council for Disabled Children, an umbrella body for groups working in the disabled children’s sector, said the delays "are deeply frustrating and add to the many pressures that the families of disabled children face".

Director Dame Christine Lenehan said: “Sadly, this situation reflects a system that, as has been well documented, is failing too many children and young people.”

She added that a review of the sector – announced by the Government last year – needed to address these problems when it gets under way.

The Disabled Children’s Partnership added that it is “deeply concerning” so many children are not getting help within the required time.

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MPs recently warned that many of the 1.3 million school-age children across England with special educational needs are not getting the support they need.

The report by the Public Accounts Committee said this was “a failure that damages their education, well-being and future life chances".

The document also said EHC plans have become “a ‘golden ticket’ that parents fight for to secure access to adequate support for their children”.

In Sheffield, 397 new EHC plans were made for young people last year, down from 458 in 2018.

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This bucked the trend across the country, where 53,900 new plans were issued during 2019 – a 10% increase on the previous year.

The Local Government Association said the rise was putting more pressure on the SEND system, and that it was concerned local authorities will be unable to cope with demand.

Judith Blake, chairwoman of the LGA’s children and young people board, said: “Councils are therefore continuing to work closely with the Government on the review of the SEND system.

"It is essential that the review gives councils, as local leaders, the powers to hold partners to account so that children and families receive the best SEND support.”

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The Department for Education said it knew that "timeliness is a concern in some areas", and that it was working to make necessary improvements.

A spokesman added: “We have increased the high needs budget to well over £7 billion this year – an increase of 12% nationally compared to last year – and our SEND review will look at how we improve the system for those who need support.”

Sheffield City Council was approached for a comment.

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