Understand
EHCP delays meant Cambridgeshire schools missed out on support worth £7.3m
Overview
Delays in assessing children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Cambridgeshire cost mainstream schools an estimated £7.3m in a single year. Cambridgeshire County Council reported a backlog of about 1,800 children waiting for education, health and care plans (EHCPs), with less than one in 10 plans completed on time compared to a national average of 46%. Because backdated funding is not paid for late EHCPs, schools faced substantial financial pressure while supporting pupils without expected top-up funding.
Key points
- Delays in processing EHCPs cost Cambridgeshire mainstream schools an estimated £7.3m in funding over a year.
- A backlog of about 1,800 children was waiting for their education, health and care plans.
- Only about 9% of EHCPs in Cambridgeshire were issued within the statutory 20-week deadline, against a national average of about 46%.
- Schools do not receive backdated funding for EHCPs that are issued late, placing financial strain on staff capacity and resources.
- Cambridgeshire County Council stated it is investing in staffing, targeting 20% of plans completed on time by the end of the year, and considering further service investments.