While EHCPs need reform, scrapping legal protections risks worsening outcomes for children with additional needs. Inclusive education, teacher training, and support services are vital but they must work alongside, not instead of, statutory rights for our most vulnerable children.
The EHCP process can sometimes result in a document that is rarely seen or updated in a timely way to reflect a child’s evolving needs. It’s also incredibly difficult to obtain, with waiting lists that can exceed two years—often making it inaccessible for the very children who require it most.
My child has dwarfism. While some may view this as simply short stature, imagine being the size of a 5-year-old when you’re about to enter secondary school. Without additional support, that experience is not only daunting but difficult due to the fact that the world is not made for someone his size. Yet it’s highly unlikely we’ll be granted an EHCP for him. Still, I would firmly protest any move to remove legal guarantees for children needing support in mainstream schools.
I welcome carefully considered EHCP reform and how it is administered within schools. But I do not trust this government to do it right. Recent cuts to PIP disability payments coincide with chronic underfunding and long waiting lists for the Access to Work scheme and no real support for mental health, clearly demonstrating a lack of due care and respect for those who are differently abled.
Potential Harms of Removing or Replacing EHCPs
- Loss of Legal Protection
EHCPs offer statutory rights that guarantee tailored support. Removing them could strip families of a crucial legal safeguard, making it far more difficult to secure necessary educational, health, and care services. - Increased Inequality
Without EHCPs, support may become inconsistent, varying greatly by region or school. This risks deepening the current “postcode lottery” in SEND provision. - Risk of Inadequate Support in Mainstream Schools
Mainstream schools often lack the resources or training to meet complex needs without the structured guidance and funding that EHCPs provide. - Potential for Increased Exclusions
Without tailored plans, children may struggle in mainstream settings, leading to increased exclusions or off-rolling.
While the EHCP system has serious flaws, it provides essential protections. Any reform must strengthen, not eliminate, the rights that families depend on.
The Case for Broader Educational Reform
Scrapping legal protections is not the solution. Inclusive education should be a central principle. I’ve heard too many SENCO horror stories to believe the system doesn’t need to change. I recently witnessed a SENCO shout at a child with autism to “look people in the eye” – a complete disregard for what it means to be neurodivergent.
These are the professionals who are supposed to understand and support our children!
Countries like Finland and Italy prioritise inclusive models by adapting teaching methods for all, rather than segregating children by diagnosis or plan.
Better Teacher Training
As diagnoses of neurodivergent conditions rise, pressure on schools increases. Yet many teachers feel unprepared to support students with SEN.
We need more robust teacher training, both at the outset and through continuous professional development, in autism, ADHD, sensory processing, and trauma-informed practice. This would benefit all students, not just those with EHCPs, and would reduce the over-reliance on 1:1 or segregated support.
Don’t Shut Down Primary Schools
It’s worth remembering that all of this is taking place as East London boroughs move to close primary schools and cram children into oversized classes without sufficient TA support.
We need:
- Smaller class sizes
- More teaching assistants with specialist knowledge
- SENCOs who are up to date through ongoing professional development
In Tower Hamlets, we’ve lost much of our Support for Learning services—programmes that enabled mainstream schools to better meet diverse needs.
We need differently abled children in mainstream education. Their inclusion benefits all of our children.
If you want to safeguard the EHCP system, please sign this petition:
Retain legal right to assessment and support in education for children with SEND – Petitions