No quick fix to special-needs failures, parents told

The money needed to fund the SEND system as it stands is already putting councils under huge financial pressure.

Ms McKinnell said despite high-needs funding increasing to over £10bn in 2024-25, “confidence in the SEND system is low”.

The minister said funding for SEND services would depend on the government’s next spending review, which is due to be announced in October.

“But we are working at pace and acutely aware of the funding pressures local authorities are facing,” she said.

“It’s not going to be easy or quick to solve these problems, but we really want to work on long-term solutions. That includes looking at the national funding formula.”

Sarah Morgan, the parent of a child with SEND, was watching the debate and said the minister’s statement “lacked specific details, which is perhaps due to time constraints of the debate”.

She said: “Although her intentions seem promising, addressing the crisis in SEND provision will be a long-term process as we all know requiring much more than just funding, building schools, or those smaller commitments raised in her speech today.”