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The Liberal Democrats are calling for an end to the “postcode lottery” on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
There are huge differences in support offered in schools, linked to extra costs, says party leader Sir Ed Davey.
He wants a new national champion to coordinate support for children with the most complex needs as part of a £300m boost.
The government published its own SEND improvement plan last year.
Parents must get an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan for their child to access tailored SEND support.
However, the latest government statistics show just over half the plans were not provided within the legal 20-week deadline, leaving tens of thousands of children without support.
Lib Dem analysis shows stark differences between councils across the country, with 96% of requests for families in Leicestershire breaching the time limit, whereas nearly every family in Calderdale got their plans in time, with only 1% of requests missing the deadline.
The party believes part of the problem with the delays is down to financial barriers for schools, as each establishment must pay £6,000 per child towards additional SEND support.
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- Essex Council to pay families over SEND faults
- Leicestershire Council criticised over SEND pupil plans
Sir Ed, who is a carer for his disabled son, will announce the new policy on a local election campaign visit to Brentwood and Chelmsford, where he will be visiting a special educational needs charity.
