Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average annual cost per child of an education, health and care plan was in each of the last 10 years.

The department does not hold this information.

However, the department is reforming the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system so that, where children require an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and specialist provision, they get access to the support they need and parents do not face an adversarial system to secure this. Through Multi-Agency Panels, templates and supporting materials for the EHC plan process, tailored lists and strengthened mediation arrangements, the department’s SEND reforms focus on:

• Improving the quality of EHC plans and making the process more consistent.
• Reducing conflicts through better co-production.
• Improving the outcomes of children and young people.

The department is also significantly increasing the high needs budget, which is worth £10.54 billion by 2024/25 and worth 60% more than in 2019/20.