Children with special educational needs from low-income families are facing major inequalities in access to support, according to new research by the Sutton Trust. The charity is warning of the ‘double disadvantage’ for children with SEND from poorer families, who are typically less able to navigate the system than more affluent parents. Children with SEND who receive free school meals (FSM) have lower outcomes at Key Stage 4 than their better off peers with SEND. In 2023/2024, only 7.5 per cent of FSM pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) received a 4+ in GCSE English and Maths, compared to 17 per cent of those with an EHCP from better-off families.
Through a survey of 4008 parents, conducted by Public First in August this year, the researchers found that among all children with SEND, those from more affluent homes are more likely to secure an EHCP. In part, this is through families spending more money on the process. 68 per cent of middle class parents spent money on their EHCP application, compared to just 28 per cent of working class parents. 11 per cent of middle-class parents spent over £5000 on their application. Some of the ways in which parents are spending money included on private assessments. 21 per cent of middle class families had done so, while 23 per cent paid for a SEND consultant, compared to just 9 and 7 per cent respectively of working class parents.
Better-off families were also more likely to secure a special school place for their child – 41 per cent compared to just 25 per cent of low income parents. One reason for this is that more affluent families are more likely to use tribunals. 22 per cent of more affluent parents successfully used the tribunal system after an initial EHCP rejection, compared to just 15 per cent of lower-income parents. And independent special school places secured through EHCPs were twice as likely to result from a tribunal or appeal, compared to state special school places. The report also found disparities in parents’ satisfaction with the support for their children. Middle class parents were more likely than working class parents to be happy with the support their children with SEND were receiving in terms of academic performance, behaviour, interpersonal relationships, pastoral care, and other areas.
Charlotte O’Regan, Senior Schools Manager at the Sutton Trust, said: ‘Parents who pay to access better support are a symptom of this broken system, not its cause. With horrendous waiting times across England and many requests for support being declined, it’s only natural that parents with sufficient means would go to a private service to help their children. The system shouldn’t force parents to pay to get the support their children need.’
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, commented: ‘Education should be a great leveller, which enables all children to thrive. Instead, chronic underfunding, particularly of SEND provision, has exacerbated existing inequalities. It is especially unfair that children with SEND from low-income families face this double whammy of disadvantage. The upcoming Education White Paper must bring radical change. The NEU wants to see a redesigned system, both in mainstream and special schools, with reformed curriculum, assessment and accountability mechanisms. All of this must be underpinned with significant investment in specialist support roles.’
Also commenting on the findings, Georgia Gould MP, the minister for school standards in England, said: ‘This report lays bare how badly children with SEND have been let down and denied the opportunities and support they deserve. Our mission is to break down barriers to opportunity so every child, not just the privileged few, can achieve and thrive.’
Full report: https://tinyurl.com/yy7uz7d8