Read the Lib Dems 5 principles for SEND reform

For too long, our broken SEND system has forced children and families to fight long battles to get the support they need. Outcomes for those children haven’t improved while council deficits have ballooned, leaving many on the brink.

Amid rumours that the Government is considering scrapping EHCPs, Ed Davey and our education spokesperson, Munira Wilson have written to the Prime Minister setting out the five key principles and priorities the Liberal Democrats believe should guide SEND reform.

• Putting children and families first.

• Boosting specialist capacity and improving mainstream provision.

• Supporting local government.

• Early identification and shorter waiting lists.

• Fair funding.

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The latter point is particularly important for us in South Devon. Thanks to the unfair national funding formula, children with SEND in Devon get substantially less support than they would in Devon.

Groups like F40 are doing a fantastic job of highlighting this inequality. I recently pushed the Schools Minister on whether the Government was considering fixing the funding formula.

You can watch our exchange here: https://fb.watch/AKafY7Z33D/ and read the letter below.