International Day of Education

24 January marks International Day of Education

Education is a fundamental right that contributes greatly to reducing poverty and child labour (UNICEF).

Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child includes several articles that emphasise a child's right to education. Read more here. 

The Children and Families Act 2014 is the legal basis for identifying children and young people (age 0-25) in England with special educational needs (SEN), assessing their needs, and making provision for them, including SEN support in their pre-school, school or college. 

Education crisis 

Just 1 in 3 parents and carers said that disabled children have the correct level of support from their education setting (DCP, 2023)

Around 1.6 million school pupils in England had identified Special Educational Needs (SEN) in January 2023, which accounted for 17% of all pupils (House of Commons, 2024).

Half of these children are waiting beyond the legal deadline for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan (Schools Week, 2022).

Out of all the needs listed on an EHCP, autism is the most prevalent. Unfortunately, due to delays in obtaining the proper support or school placement, many autistic students experience difficulties in their academic journey and miss out on crucial educational opportunities (SNJ, 2023).

More than 100 children were placed in educational settings in excess of 200 miles from where they live (Schools Week, 2022).

89% of care leavers have encountered challenges when trying to access financial education (CYP Now, 2022).

SEND Review and Improvement plan 

In 2022, we responded to the government’s consultations about reforms to the SEND system. Read more about our response here. 

In March 2023, the Government published its SEND and alternative provision improvement plan, confirming its plans following the consultation.

The improvement plan outlines several changes, including 

• the implementation of new national standards to facilitate a unified system for SEND and alternative provision.
• the establishment of local partnerships to commission provision for SEND and alternative provision.

Have your say! 

We have launched a new action with Gloucestershire-based charity National Star to gather insights from young people with SEND and their families about leaving school or college. We will then share recommendations for action with the government and any additional bodies.

• Are you a young person with a disability, including autism or ADHD? Share your thoughts: https://www.videoask.com/f76uwhste (written or verbal responses available)
• Are you a parent, carer or family member of a young person with a disability? We want to hear from you too:https://togethertrust.typeform.com/aftereducation

Your input is valuable and your opinions matter! If you have any questions feel free to email us at: lucy.croxton@togethertrust.org.uk

You can keep up with our updates via our website or by signing up to our campaign emails.