The Government has refused to rule out scrapping the system which ensures students with special educational needs (SEND), such as autism and ADHD, receive personalised support at school.
While campaigners have warned against the move, ministers are said to be considering ditching the current system of education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which are legally binding documents issued to give children specialist classroom support.
In most cases, schools can provide SEND assistance so students can remain in mainstream education. This often involves providing help through small-group or one-on-one teaching. Around 562,652 students in the UK receive this kind of SEND support, according to the latest figures from 2021/22.
If students need extra help, an EHCP is issued to provide support beyond what mainstream schools, nurseries or colleges can offer.
But the Government, like countries across the world, is grappling with a rising number of requests for SEND support, which have risen year-on-year. In total, there were 638,745 EHCPs in place in January 2025, up 10.8 per cent on the same point last year.
The number of new plans which started during 2024 also grew by 15.8 per cent on the previous year, to 97,747.
Here, The i Paper looks at how the UK’s SEND provision stacks up against other countries.
Finland is cited by many experts as the model for providing special needs education. The national constitution requires that every child has the right to quality education and care, and pre-primary education for all children, no matter their needs, is free and funded by the taxpayer.
Once a child is identified as needing additional support, a learning plan is created by the teacher for the student. This may include small-group teaching, additional help, and part-time special education.
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If further support is required after this intervention, a medical assessment is carried out, and a final decision is made by the local authority on how to provide the best assistance. Most of these students remain in regular classrooms under Finland’s inclusive model, but may have some form of part-time special education. It is very rare for students to be moved to separate SEND schools.
Once SEND pupils enter school, the fees for their additional support are based on the size of their family and are free of charge to low-income households.
Around 9 per cent of students receive some form of special support, while 11 per cent receive intensified support.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is widely cited as having some of the best SEND support. By law, the education system must provide children with a place in a suitable school, and preferably in a mainstream school.
Schools are required to offer support to students with special needs as much as possible within regular education. Only when regular schools cannot meet the student’s needs are special schools recommended.
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When a child qualifies for special education, they receive a support profile which also outlines what the school is and is not able to offer. Parents will also have a strong say over this, and if a school can not provide what they need, they are required to help find a suitable alternative.
Support is also directed through regional groups of schools that pool resources and decide how to best deploy funding to support students with special needs. Before 2014, funding was allocated to individual students, but now it is pooled and managed at the regional level.
The Netherlands, however, also suffers from long waiting lists for SEND diagnoses and placements in separate special schools.
Number of children who receive SEND provision in the Netherlands: 72,311 (2021/22)Germany
Germany traditionally has a dual education system for SEND: dedicated special schools and mainstream education. Most children, primarily those who have mild to moderate disabilities, attend regular schools, with inclusion increasingly emphasised.
While support varies between states, students receive some form of individual support plan for tailored education. In Berlin and Hamburg, there is a strong focus on keeping students in mainstream education as far as possible, while other states rely more heavily on dedicated special schools. Most states also give parents a say over this decision.
Germany does, however, suffer from limited resources in some states and lower quality staff training compared to other nations like Finland or Canada. There are also vast regional disparities in quality and available services, with larger cities often providing the best support.
Number of children who receive SEND provision in Germany: 491,196 (2021/22)France
France has been moving steadily towards an inclusive education model for its SEND students. Under 2005 legislation, children with disabilities have the right to be educated in ordinary schools alongside their peers, with necessary support. Within mainstream schools, support is provided through specialised teams or classes alongside their standard education.
For those who need more significant and specialised support, special education centres are almost entirely attached to existing schools so students can still integrate part-time into regular classes with support.
Despite law requiring inclusion, this is not always possible in practice due to funding and resources. Some children still attend special institutions because mainstream integration is not always feasible or adequately supported.
Number of children who receive SEND provision in France: 455,951 (2021/22) Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The support SEND children receive across Europe – and how the UK compares )
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