Rise in number of young Sheffielders with additional needs who are in education, jobs or training
The number of young Sheffielders with additional needs who are in education, employment or training has increased over the past year.
The figure for young people aged 16 to 25 who have an education, health and care plan (EHCP) in place has risen from 58.2% to 66.4% since September 2024, says a report to Sheffield City Council’s finance and performance policy committee, which meets next Monday (September 22).
EHCPs are official documents that outline what extra support young people with special educational needs and and disabilities (SEND) require from city education, health and social care services.
A report to the committee adds: “The June 2025 figure brings Sheffield above national average and well above our statistical neighbours (59.5% and 54.2% respectively).”
The report says that “those young people not participating in education, employment or training are at risk of not reaching their full potential and several other negative outcomes including social exclusion, poor physical and mental health, future employment and economic prospects”.
One of the initiatives set up to help young people with EHCPs is a supported internships scheme that provides a year of unpaid work-based learning to enable them to move into employment. Currently there are 56 places on this scheme, which is planned to increase to more than 80 in 2025/26.
Places are provided by the NHS Project Choice scheme, Sheaf Training and Sheffield College.
Action is also being taken to improve the number of EHCP plans completed within 20 weeks. The report says that the completion rate has risen from 16.5% at the end of the last quarter of 2024-25 to 24% in the first quarter of 2025/26.
However, this is still well below the target of 55% and progress will be monitored by the committee.