Buckinghamshire Council will invest an extra £3 million in a Recovery Plan to cut waiting times for Education, Health and Care Plan Assessments (EHCPAs).
The proposal is part of its commitment to improving support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the county.
Along with other local authorities across the country, Buckinghamshire Council has seen a significant rise in demand for EHCPs in recent years. In the past year alone, demand has increased by 12%. By October 2025, the number of EHCPs being managed by the council's Special Educational Needs (SEN) service had risen to 7,500, an increase of 58% since 2020. Recently, in one month alone, the Council received 121 new requests for EHCPs.
Buckinghamshire Council is required by law to seek advice and information from a qualified educational psychologist for every assessment, and the national shortage of education psychologists has caused significant delays in producing EHCPs.
To address these challenges, to ensure all children and young people in Buckinghamshire with SEND can access the support they need in a timely way, and to improve the experience of their families, Buckinghamshire Council has agreed a plan of action.
The plan includes a major new financial investment, with £3m of additional funding being allocated. Key priorities of the Recovery Plan include:
- Recruitment and retention of more educational psychologists and other professionals who are critical to the EHCP process.
- Streamlined assessment processes to ensure compliance with the 20-week statutory timeframe.
- Enhanced support for families during the assessment period, including improved communication and transparency.
- Monitoring and accountability measures to track progress and ensure timely delivery of plans.
Carl Jackson is Buckinghamshire Council's Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services. He said: "The Government has recognised the current SEND system is unsustainable, so it is disappointing that promised reforms to the system have been delayed yet again. Buckinghamshire families are experiencing significant waiting times for EHCPs, and delays in accessing appropriate support. The Council's new funding boost for this service will speed up the delivery of EHCPs, helping to ensure local children with additional needs receive the care and support they deserve."
The Recovery Plan forms part of Buckinghamshire Council's wider SEND Improvement Programme.
This is subject to a decision by Buckinghamshire Council's Cabinet at a meeting on 19 November. The meeting can be viewed live at Agenda for Cabinet on Wednesday, 19th November, 2025, 9.30 am - Modern Council (external site)
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