Policy Solutions

Policy Solutions – October 2024

This briefing summarises the following:

1. National picture

Demand for SEND support is growing – not only for the 2 million disabled children in the UK  but also many more without a formal diagnosis or who do not identify as disabled, but require additional support to thrive. The prolonged impact of the Covid pandemic continues to affect disabled children, with unmet needs affecting mental health, undiagnosed speech and language issues, and delayed access to early support and professional guidance.

2. Impact of waiting lists

Rising waiting lists for assessments and support are leaving disabled children and their families in crisis, causing children to miss out on education because their needs are not identified and met in a timely fashion. Family life is also severely impacted by long waits for support, with serious implications for the physical and mental health of all family members and the ability of parents to maintain paid work.

3. Kids’ analysis

Kids proposes a two-stage approach: (1) immediate solutions are required to address waiting lists and provide families with essential support and (2) a longer-term programme of transformation to create a sustainable support system.

4. Two policy solutions

1. The ‘Navigator’ Model: Kids’ SEND Community Navigator model offers a single point of contact to help families navigate the complex health care and education system. Early results show improved outcomes, such as successful integration into mainstream education.

2. Holistic Crisis Intervention: This service offers immediate support to young autistic people and other neurodevelopmental conditions, and their families, at risk of falling into crisis. It aims to reduce CAMHS referrals and thus positively impact across CAMHS services, including crisis interventions and a reduction in waiting times.