Labour’s sole Norfolk county councillor has written to the new prime minister warning him of the risks around reform of the system for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Ben Weston, who represents Hethersett on Norfolk County Council and has a child who needs SEND support, has told Andy Burnham that changes must not endanger the rights of young people who need help.
The government has committed £7bn over four years for a new system, which comes against a backdrop of councils like County Hall racking up multi-million-pound debts because the cost of providing increased support is not covered by Whitehall funding.
As part of its reforms, the government wants more children to be educated within mainstream schools.
And, from 2030, when children reach the end of either primary, secondary or post-16 education, they will have their education health and care plans (EHCPs) - legal documents stating the help and support they are entitled to - reviewed.
After that, SEND pupils will get a new document called an individual support plan (ISP) setting out what level of support they will get, with only the children receiving the highest level of support eligible for EHCPs.
Mr Weston has written to Mr Burnham, who became MP on Monday (July 20), to say he welcomed the ambitions for earlier intervention, stronger specialist expertise in mainstream settings and support closer to children’s homes and communities.
But he warned his new leader that families must not be asked to exchange enforceable legal protections for promises of support before they are available.
He said: "I want Labour’s reforms to succeed. Earlier support, greater consistency and better specialist expertise in mainstream schools are necessary and overdue.
"But families cannot be asked to exchange enforceable rights for promises that support will appear later.
"The replacement system must prove it is ready before any existing protection is weakened."
Lucy Powell has replace Bridget Phillipson as education secretary in Mr Burnham's new cabinet and will have the responsibility for enacting the SEND reforms.
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