Parents of disabled children say they are paying thousands as SEND provision falls short.

Research by the charity Sense reports many parents of disabled children are paying thousands a year for private therapies because SEND support and some Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are delayed or do not meet needs; the government says it will set out reforms in an upcoming schools white paper.

Many parents of disabled children are reporting large out‑of‑pocket costs because they say the SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) system is not delivering timely or complete support. The charity Sense surveyed parents and found widespread delays, inconsistent decisions and EHCPs that do not always meet children's needs. Families described paying for private therapies to fill gaps in provision. The Department for Education has said reforms will be set out in a schools white paper and that some council SEND deficits will be written off. Key findings: - Sense's survey of parents reported that many families pay significant private costs when statutory support is delayed or reduced. - One parent reported paying about £140 a week (around £7,280 a year) for weekly therapy because the child's EHCP did not supply sufficient speech and communication support. - There are reported to be around 482,000 school pupils with EHCPs in the UK, rising to about 639,000 when including those up to age 25 or not in school, and EHCP numbers rose 166% between January 2015 and January 2025. - The government has announced plans to write off 90% of accrued SEND deficits and said it will publish SEND reforms in the forthcoming schools white paper. Summary: Families report ongoing financial and practical pressures when statutory SEND support is delayed or reduced, and charity research has documented widespread gaps between needs and delivered provision. The government has described systemic reform as forthcoming and officials say a schools white paper will set out changes; further details are expected when that paper is published.