“Being able to rebuild schools is fulfilling what I came into politics to do – to ensure children from ordinary backgrounds get a good chance in life,” Rachel Reeves told the Observer last weekend, days before delivering the first Labour budget in 15 years.
Yet when the chancellor unveiled her budget yesterday, it was clear that Disabled children’s chances in life were something of an afterthought. Reeves allocated an additional £1bn for children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Initial headlines may suggest this is a positive step. But dig deeper and it’s nowhere near enough to fix a SEND system with a £4bn shortfall that is expected to rise to £5.9bn by next year, according to recent research by local authorities’ treasurers.
