BPS responds to new NAO report on SEND provision

Responding to the new report from the National Audit Office report Support for children and young people with special educational needsDr Gavin Morgan, chair of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology at the British Psychological Society, said:

"The report from the National Audit Office provides a damning assessment of the provision of special educational needs and disability (SEND) support in England. This is why we are campaigning for more local authority educational psychologists to provide the SEND support and intervention which is urgently needed for thousands of children.

"The growing demand for education, health and care plans (EHCPs) is unsustainable and our current system is fast becoming a postcode lottery. Urgent investment is required to ensure that all of our schools are linked with a named educational psychologist, from their local authority, free at the point of delivery.

"Key to transforming the SEND system and outcomes for children is prioritising early intervention work, yet the report highlights the lack of focus on this to date.  This is vital to preventing the needs and challenges from becoming entrenched. The government should ensure that this is a top priority to help level the playing field for all children before it is too late."

Find out more about the BPS's campaign to address the need for more educational psychologists in local authorities, to make sure every child has the support they need to thrive in their education.