More than half of children in Bolton faced long waits for special educational needs support plans last year, new figures show. An EHC plan is for children and young people who need more support than is available through conventional special educational needs support. EHC plans identify these needs and set out additional support required to meet them.
Department for Education figures show 557 children and young people aged up to 25 received an EHC plan from Bolton Council in 2023. This was up from the 324 plans issued the year before. In Bolton, just 46 per cent of all support plans were provided within the time limit.
An EHC plan can only be issued after a child or young person has been formally assessed. Across the country, 138,242 requests for initial assessments were made – 21 per cent more than in the year before. This included 716 in Bolton, with 55 of them refused by Bolton Council.
Overall, 3,304 Bolton children had an EHC plan as of January. Rob Poole, Assistant District Secretary Bolton National Education Union said: “The figures showing long waits for EHC plans in Bolton are deeply concerning. “More than half of our children facing delays in receiving essential support is unacceptable and affects their education and well-being.
“The increase in EHC plans, from 324 to 557, indicates a growing need, yet only 46 per cent were provided within the statutory time limit. “This highlights systemic issues of underfunding and understaffing in our education system ca.
