“We agree that the current SEND system is simply not working – neither for families who are desperate for the assessments and support that their children need, nor for schools which are trying to deliver provision with ever-dwindling resources.
“Improving the SEND system is going to require more focus on the provision in mainstream schools, and we welcome the taskforce’s call for greater investment and the rebalancing of funding towards early intervention.
“As its report highlights, the priority must be to deliver timely, high-quality, evidence-based support.
“At present, schools struggle with insufficient core funding to meet the range of additional needs in every classroom. They require more staff, more training support, and access to specialists such as speech and language therapists, and educational psychologists. Addressing these issues will be critical to the success of any new system.
“The question of what role education, health, and care plans play in this new landscape is fraught with jeopardy as families see these plans as a legal guarantee of support for their child. Any new approach will need to have their confidence.”