CHILDREN WITH SEND SUPPORT REACHES 700,000 IN RECORD YEAR

The number of children receiving education, health and care plans (EHCPs) in England reached over 700,000 between January 2025 and January 2026, according to government figures. This represented a 12.5% increase year-on-year, the largest annual rise since EHCPs were introduced more than a decade ago. Over 110,000 new plans were issued during the 2025 calendar year. The figures include children and young people up to the age of 25.

EHCPs are legal documents that set out the support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are entitled to receive. The Department for Education stated the figures "show the scale of the challenge we inherited" and announced £4bn investment to bring specialist support into mainstream schools. The proportion of children with EHCPs attending mainstream schools increased by over 15% compared to the previous year, with nearly half now in mainstream education. However, the number of plans issued within the statutory 20-week timeframe decreased slightly, with less than half meeting this deadline.

The government announced reforms to the SEND system earlier in 2025, with emphasis on making mainstream schools more inclusive for children with SEND. The Department for Education said it was "building a system where every school can support every child to thrive, while ensuring those with the greatest needs get the specialist help they need". Families of children requiring more support than mainstream schools typically provide can apply for an EHCP to guarantee additional assistance.