A 2014 law raised the number of children local authorities must support, and now nearly all are spending money they don’t have
Almost 90% of English councils overspent on their budgets for teaching children with special needs last year, and the underfunding is set to continue into 2021, according to figures seen by the Observer.
Campaigners say the special education needs and disabilities (Send) system is in turmoil owing to chronic underfunding from central government, with many children left without adequate support.
