The Labour government is now coming for SEND children, too

The Labour government have launched attacks on children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and people with mental health diagnoses.

On Friday 14 March, Bridget Phillipson, education secretary, said that parents have to ‘think differently‘ on SEND support for children. No doubt this is a labour preparing us for what is to come – them stripping back services – which are already shit. 

Clearly, the way parents are thinking about SEND support is the problem, rather than the abhorrent services, support and funding.

Bridget, we need to talk…Thinking about SEND funding is not parents’ job—they’re worrying about their children getting an education. The present system ‘hasn’t worked’ because it was sabotaged by LAs & funding cuts. NONE of this is parents’ fault. 😡🤯https://t.co/yuKmd8T7OA

— Special Needs Jungle (@SpcialNdsJungle) March 15, 2025

Then on Saturday, Tom Rees, the Department for Education’s inclusion advisor said he would like to see the SEND label retired. He complained that the current system is too “medicalised” and highlighted the problems with using an “umbrella term” like SEND. However he then contradicted himself and went on to say that there are too many children needing support and:

It’s too big a number to deal with through individualised…specialist support

Firstly, he needs to make his mind up. Then, he needs to start answering questions because like most bureaucrats, he has created more than he has answered.

1. Hi @TomRees_77.
When you say you want to ‘retire’ the SEND label, what exactly would you replace it with, *without* reducing children’s rights, or reducing communication that a child has needs?
⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FqAMNXh8EA

— thehighcliffeguy (@AdamHighcliffe) March 15, 2025

3. When you say the current system is “too big” to manage “individualised specialist support”, what would you replace it with?
And how do you square this retreat from specialist support with the ambition to be “much more precise in our understanding of different needs”?
⬇️ pic.twitter.com/01XcKxBRCp

— thehighcliffeguy (@AdamHighcliffe) March 15, 2025

SEND: ‘financially unsustainable’

Back in October, the National Audit Office (NAO) said that the Special Educational Needs system is financially “unsustainable”.

Since 2015, there has been a 140% increase in children and young people with an education, health and care plans (EHCP).

As of January 2024, there were 434,354 pupils in schools in England with an EHCP. This is 4.8% of all pupils. An additional 1.2m receive SEN support. According to their website:

Most of this increase related to autistic spectrum disorders; speech, language and communication needs; and social, emotional and mental health needs.

Their annual budget has risen by 58% in the last 10 years and now sits at £10.7bn. Yet, it has not led to better outcomes for SEND students. That’s at least in part because the Tories didn’t keep funding up with increasing demand. The problem is only getting worse, yet Labour seem to think that if we stop using certain words, the problem vanishes.

Next they will be trying to retire the word disabled. Maybe then disabilities will magically disappear?

‘Over-diagnosis’

In his usual fashion, Wes Streeting then followed this up on Sunday. He claimed that services are over-diagnosing mental health conditions and writing too many people off. Given the context of all the DWP ‘welfare reforms’ and SEND provision, who’s betting he means ADHD and autism?

He can bang on about over-diagnosis all he wants. But Wes Streeting has clearly never tried to get an appointment with a mental health professional, let alone a diagnosis or treatment.

Wes Streeting talking about an over diagnosis of mental health problems leading to people not working and claiming benefits whilst completely ignoring that people can’t get any fucking treatment and maybe that’s why they’re not well enough to go to work.

— Cara Lisette (@CaraLisette) March 16, 2025

Also, take a look around Wes, this country sucks. Everyone is broke and cold and hungry and the seas are full of sewage and it takes months to get healthcare and the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I wonder why so many people have poor mental health.

— Cara Lisette (@CaraLisette) March 16, 2025

Trying to bury the problem.

Between getting rid of words like SEND and the assisted dying bill, Labour are really trying to make the problem disappear.

I’d imagine the new assisted dying bill will help out with numbers of those with long term illnesses.

This country is done! They don’t care about the most vunerable so I refuse to care about them (Govt)

They’re not on the side of those that need help so they’re the enemy.

⏳

— Betty Swollocks (@DontBullehMeh) March 16, 2025

Not only are Labour going after disabled and chronically ill adults – they are now also going after kids with SEND. That should tell you everything you need to know about the new nasty party that is this Labour government.

Feature image via the Canary