Fix Send now or risk a ‘lost generation’ of children, MPs warn

Mum Rachel, from Birmingham, said Max missed much of his schooling during a “never-ending battle” to get support for him, but that he was now “brimming with confidence” in a specialist school.

Despite that, the lack of specialist places means the school is a 45-minute journey away.

PAC chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said parents who were seeking Send support for their children faced a “chaotic” system.

“The immensity of this situation cannot be overstated,” he said.

“As a nation, we are failing countless children. We have been doing so for years.

“This is an emergency that has been allowed to run and run. This report must serve as a line in the sand for government.”

The committee’s report found demand for EHCPs had soared by 140% in the last decade – but that the government did not fully understand why, which limited the system’s ability to cope with demand.

It also found many councils failed to provide EHCPs for children who need them within the 20-week timeframe required by law.

And there were huge regional differences between local authority areas providing EHCPs on time, creating a “postcode lottery” for families.