Hard-up English councils ration access to special needs tests

Many local authorities are increasingly rejecting requests to assess children who need help in schools, new data reveals

Councils are increasingly ­rejecting requests to assess children for ­special needs such as autism amid the financial crisis in the education system, according to figures seen by the Observer. Long-term underfunding combined with rising demand ­aggravated by the pandemic has left many councils facing significant ­deficits on their schools budgets.

Freedom of information data sourced by the website Special Needs Jungle shows that councils in England have responded by increasingly refusing to carry out education, health and care needs assessments (EHCNAs).