Supporting children and young people with Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND) remains one of the Council’s highest priorities. We know that getting the right support can be challenging for some families, and we are committed to listening, learning and improving. Since 2018, we have made significant improvements to our SEND services, despite ongoing challenges within the national system. Our focus remains on helping children and young people access the support they need to thrive.
The latest national data from the Department for Education (DfE) on Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) shows that demand for SEND support continues to increase across England, placing growing pressure on local services. In Surrey, requests for assessments have risen faster than the national average.
Despite these pressures, we continue to issue the vast majority of EHCPs within statutory timescales. Nearly 90% of EHCPs were issued on time in 2025, compared with 46% nationally, helping many families receive decisions and support more quickly. However, we recognise that this is not the experience of every family. Some children and young people are still waiting too long to get the support they need.
The number of children and young people with EHCPs in Surrey continues to increase, reflecting the growing level of need across the county. While we issued fewer new EHCPs than in previous years, this may reflect the increasing focus on providing support at the earliest opportunity and meeting needs through a range of services where possible, as well as the impact of our recovery work in 2024 where a significant number of plans were issued.
The data also highlights areas where further improvement is needed. Annual reviews of EHCPs are not yet taking place as consistently as they should and are below the level expected both nationally and locally. We continue to see a higher level of SEND Tribunal appeals than the national average. This underlines the importance of strengthening communication with families, improving confidence in decision-making, and resolving concerns wherever possible before formal appeals are needed.
Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on maintaining strong EHCP timeliness, improving annual review completion, managing increasing demand across the SEND system, and working with families, schools and partners to improve experiences and outcomes for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities.
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