Cumbrian autism charity highlights SEN challenges after damning report

It comes after the National Audit Office (NAO) warned that the system is financially unsustainable and failing to meet the needs of young people, particularly those who are autistic and live with other developmental challenges.

According to the NAO, delays in issuing Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans and limited capacity within schools have left families with little confidence in the SEN system.

Only half of EHC plans, which outline necessary support for children with SEN, were issued within the statutory 20-week limit in 2023.

Demand for these plans has surged by 140 per cent since 2015, particularly among children with autism, speech, and social needs.

Despite a 58 per cent increase in high-needs funding since 2014, local authorities’ deficits are projected to reach £4.6billion by 2026, raising the risk of bankruptcy for some councils.

NAHT union leader Paul Whiteman cautioned that without proper investment, the system risks collapse.

The NAO has called for ‘whole-system reform’ to make SEN provision financially sustainable and inclusive across mainstream schools.

Susan Prior, acting CEO at Cumbrian autism charity Triple-A Project, highlighted the issues following the report.

She said autistic children are not receiving adequate support, especially due to delays in processing Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans.

These delays, along with limited resources and training, are contributing to an educational system that is struggling to meet the needs of autistic children effectively.

One of the critical concerns raised is the need for more comprehensive training for educators on autism.

“We would love to see more schools able to have their staff attend courses like the National Autism Trainer Programme,” Ms Prior said, noting the National Autism Trainer Programme Tier 3 course by the Anna Freud Centre as an effective model.

Triple-A also offers autism-specific training for both schools and employers, aiming to bridge gaps in understanding and accommodating autistic individuals.

She also emphasised the impact of financial constraints faced by local authorities on the support available to autistic students.

“Local authorities up and down the country are short of money, and this definitely impacts their ability to provide the right support,” she said, outlining the wide range of needs that autistic students may have, such as support with sensory issues, adjustments to the school environment, and academic accommodations for high-achieving autistic students with professional aspirations.

She added: “While some autistic children may need support just in getting to school, we also need to think: if Claire is going to do A-levels and then study medicine, how can we help her to thrive?”

In addition to the immediate need for more training and funding, Ms Prior said of urgent national issues: “Most of Triple-A’s work is with autistic adults. 

“But of course, all autistic adults were once autistic children, so both our staff team and the people we work alongside have direct, first-hand experience of being autistic within the education system, and how challenging that can sometimes be.

“And the parents of many autistic children may be autistic themselves, either knowingly or unknowingly – there are a lot of undiagnosed autistic adults over the age of 30.

“Our biggest concerns as a charity lie around delays to getting an autism diagnosis in the first place, and to a lack of meaningful support for autistic people, of all ages, once they learn that they are autistic.

“There is an urgent need for better post-diagnostic support right across the country,” she said, referencing a recent Autistica report titled Not A Priority which details challenges in autism assessment and support.

On improving the state of SEN provision, Ms Prior said local authorities and schools need to collaborate more effectively: "This starts with better awareness of autism. 

“With moving away from framing autism as a deficit, from the language of ‘dis’, to understanding that we need to support every autistic child, just as every other child, to get the best out of themselves academically, and to do so in a caring, supportive and safe environment. 

“A little kindness goes a remarkably long way.”

Martin Birch, director of children and family wellbeing for Cumberland Council, said the council ‘recognises the national concerns highlighted’ in the report and added: “We would like to reassure residents of Cumberland that we committed to ensuring our communities are supportive and nurturing areas, where children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can thrive.”

Mr Birch said the council will, over the next few weeks, take time to review and assess ‘any potential implications of this report going forward’.  

“We have taken several actions recently to ensure children and young people in Cumberland have access to a supportive and varied curriculum.

“We are currently in the process of introducing over 50 new Resource Provision placements into mainstream schools throughout Cumberland,” he added.

On what the council does and has done in regards to SEN provision, Mr Birch said: “Resourced provisions operate within mainstream schools, and are designed to provide specialist and targeted support for children and young people with an education and healthcare plan (EHCP).

“A new sixth-form site opened last year at James Rennie School in Carlisle, catering to 40 young people aged between 16-19, and supporting them in gaining the best start to adult life.

“This is in addition to the recently approved application by Cumbria Education Trust for a new Alternative Provision school in Carlisle, which will cater to the needs of 11 to 16-year-olds who find it challenging to access mainstream education settings.”

The council is involved with the Department for Education’s ‘Delivering Better Value in SEND Programme’ as of autumn last year.

It aims to support local authorities and their partners to improe the deliver of SEND services for children and young people, while working towards financial sustainability.

Mr Birch continued: “Several workstreams are now underway as part of the programme, which include launching a professionals hub on the local offer website, launching positive regard training in education settings, developing a supported internship and pathways to employment offer across Cumberland, and developing a teaching assistant academy with the aim of improving teaching assistant recruitment and retention. 

“We will ensure that we keep parents and carers up to date with our relevant SEND workstreams, provisions and services, as well as any potential outcomes from this report.”