NHS Confederation responds to new report suggesting too many families struggle to access desperately-needed special educational needs support

Responding to the Public Accounts Committee’s report on ‘Support for children and young people with special educational needs’, Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said:

 “We welcome this report which highlights the innumerable barriers that families with children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) are facing to access vital support in England. Our members report that despite staff working incredibly hard, families are facing long waiting times for services, mental health support, autism and ADHD assessments.

“There are no quick or easy solutions to set out how support will be provided as we see an increase in SEN needs and growth in demand for education, health and care plans. However, what we have seen are innovative models from our members that move beyond purely diagnosis of SEN, enabling broader support and allowing waiting lists to be cleared.

 “Wider policy reforms are needed to ensure that families with children and young people can access joined-up care and support in a timely way.

 "The 10 year plan for the NHS and next spending review are strong opportunities to address this and we look forward to working with the government to bring more care closer to home. An increase in the capacity of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services provision, workforce, and more early intervention services are some vital steps to provide early support.”