Keir Starmer is bracing for a fresh battle with his MPs over reforms to support for children with special needs. There are concerns that there could be changes to legally enforceable rights for parents to ensure their children receive bespoke support for their needs.
Ministers, including Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson on the Sunday, did not rule out scaling back education, health and care plans (EHCPs). The scheme requires councils to provide children with a set amount of support, which could include dedicated teaching assistants or taxis to school. The number of children with these plans has increased significantly in recent years.
More than 600,000 children and young people rely on for individual support.
Although ministers contend that policies are still being developed, discussions are said to include the phasing out of EHCPs over a number of years, or restricting them to the most profound level of need.
Fears about the fate of EHCPs were raised in May when Dame Christine Lenehan, the government’s strategic adviser on special educational needs and disabilities, said EHCPs would “probably” change because there were questions if they were “the right vehicle”.
The worries among backbench MPs come days after the government U-turned on its plans to reform personal independent payents (Pip) following the risk of defeat in a Commons vote.
No10 conceded in the battle against Labour MPs to the tune of £5billion.
Bridget Phillipson also said that future spending decisions had been made “harder”.