The pressure on Ministers to sustain Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is rising. The fear is that such plans are the source of critical legal security, and threatening to reduce or eliminate them would seriously affect the chances of thousands of children receiving a good education.

EHCPs are official documents that make the process law binding so that children with SENDs get support from the local authorities. Taking these protections away would cause the critics to agree that this would cause a high number of children to not get any form of education or support.

What are the Proposed EHCP Changes?

The government has introduced its ideas on the SEND system; however, further details will be published in October. At the moment, there is a participation of ministers who have not ruled out the idea of abandoning EHCPs. This has raised fear among the families, advocacy groups, and even teachers. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson accepted the complexity of the matter, saying that it is a sensitive area, yet did not exclude the possibility of EHCPs being changed in the future.

Shadow Education Minister, Neil O Brien, has been outspoken in criticizing the government, stating that the government is guilty of broken promises and U-turns. He noted that the government had already committed itself to engaging more teachers, but the number of teachers had even reduced. OBO’Briennas urged the government to be more homogeneous in education policies,  particularly for children who are vulnerable. Here is the link to our article on the Thames Water Crackdown

Why are Families and Charities Worried?

According to campaigners, the elimination of EHCPs would displace children with special educational needs, especially since they would be rendered helpless without the mechanisms that would support a quality education. In a letter, which was published in The Guardian, more than 200 leading figures, such as the heads of charities and SEND parents, said that without the measure, they could lose important support or not be able to receive education at all.

It was stressed in the letter that although the SEND system has its problems, ending the rights provided by EHCPs would be detrimental, to say the least. Among the well-known signatories were actors and leaders of charity, all of whom were strongly voicing their objections to any alterations that would disadvantage SEND children in their access to education.

What is the response of the Ministers?

Following the increased concerns, the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has stated that the government will enhance its support to children with special needs, irrespective of the possible changes to the system. She indicated that it is important to listen to families, disability rights groups, and campaigners so that any reform of the system can enhance the support of children.

In the meantime, the Department for Education has made clear that it has no intention of abolishing SEND tribunals or withdrawing funds spent on SEND children, families, or schools. A spokesperson of the department emphasized that it would be completely erroneous to presume that children would receive any less funding or support whatsoever, even though the disputed changes retain uncertainty. Here is the link to our article on the AI Education Preparedness 

What Do New Statistics of EHCPs Show?

The last statistics provided by the Department for Education demonstrate a further rise in the level of EHCPs.CPs In January 2025, 638,745 EHCPs were in effect, an increase of 10.8 percent over the previous year. Coupled with that, new plans issued in 2024 had increased by 15.8 per cent, and assessment requests under EHCPs had increased by 11.8 per cent in 2023.

Such figures highlight the increased pressure and interest in EHCPs and make the necessity to keep such plans in existence in regards to children with SEND. The growing number of requests and new plans speaks in favor of continuous assistance and investment in the SEND system.

Final Thoughts: What Can the Government Do About SEND?

The context of the future EHCP discussion shows the current challenge to adequately approach school system reforms, on the one hand, and the risks to vulnerable children, on the other hand. Although the government has promised to intensify this, the government needs to make sure that whatever alteration is established in the SEND system, it should not adversely affect children in need of EHCPs to access the necessary provision in education. The trick will be to locate one that will solve the problem of the system without infringing the rights of children with special educational needs.