A government adviser for the Department of Education has stated that schools are wasting money by applying for Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for pupils who do not need them. The adviser’s comments come as hundreds of headteachers submitted a petition to Downing Street demanding increased funding for pupils with SEND.
Money Being Wasted
The main comment made from this adviser is that he believes that EHCPs were a ‘fundamental point of failure’ within the education system as both schools and parents are applying for them with no justifiable evidence that the child needs them.
If there are issues with funding, and schools are using funding incorrectly, how are they meant to improve? What are the guidelines with applying for EHCPs? Are schools just applying for plans because they can?