MP urges ministers to support children with Special Educational Needs during crisis

On the floor of the House of Commons this week, South Lakes MP Tim Farron made the case for the Government to centrally fund support for pupils with Special Educational Needs so they don't get left behind during this crisis and in the future.

Speaking during a debate in Parliament on Left-Behind Children, Tim said: "We need to ensure that we support special educational needs children. At the moment, we have a system - it predates this Government, but nevertheless needs to be changed - where we force schools to fund the first 11 hours of support for an education, health and care plan for Special Educational Needs students.

"In other words, we penalise those schools who do the right thing by those children who have the most need.

"That is why we need to ensure that special educational needs support is always funded from the centre, which would advantage those schools and those children who have the greatest need."

Responding on behalf of the Education Select Committee, Christian Wakeford MP said: "I fully agree with the honourable Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale on Special Educational Needs funding. There needs to be a greater focus on that; we cannot go back to business as usual.

"In my opinion, 26 weeks for an EHCP is far too long, and we need to look at refocusing so that the child and family are truly at the centre of the process."