BPS comments on new funding to adapt school buildings for pupils with SEND

The government has announced £740m of funding which will go towards adapting school buildings to make them more accessible for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream schools in England. Welcoming the news Dr Gavin Morgan, chair of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology at the British Psychological Society, said:

"We welcome increased government spending which will help schools provide the necessary support and access for all pupils with SEND.  This will have a positive impact on all pupils and will lead to better educational outcomes. 

"However, any new investment must go hand in hand with widescale reform of the SEND system. Improved access to learning environments is a step in the right direction, but only if there is a workforce to meet the growing SEND demand. Educational psychologists play a vital part in this, and we must ensure there are enough being trained and retained in local authorities. This approach enables us to work proactively with children, families, and teachers to deliver early interventions, preventing needs and challenges from becoming ingrained from the outset. 

"With over 20,000 children in England currently waiting for an Education, Health, and Care assessment, targeted investment is needed to ensure all our schools are linked with a named educational psychologist from their local authority, providing services free at the point of delivery."