THE NUMBER of children in Tameside with an education health and care plan (EHCP) has risen by 148 TIMES in the last 11 years, new figures have revealed
And the borough’s council admits having double the national average is ‘unprecedented’ and shows a lack of confidence in its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.
Figures produced for the meeting of the authority’s executive cabinet on Wednesday, March 26 reveal how number of ECHPs given has grown.
In 2014, just 25 children worked with one but it grew by at least 238 every year and in some instances more than 400, almost doubling since 2020.
And a table shows how in 2025 alone, the number has risen from 3,635 to 3,702 – although that rise may be levelling off.
And a report spelled out how big the issue is, stating how the area has a rate of 9.6 per cent of children with an EHCP, compared to the national average of 4.8 per cent.
The document says: “The most common type of need for those with an EHC plan nationally is autistic spectrum disorder and for those with SEN support is speech, language and communication needs.
“The increase in EHCPs in Tameside is unprecedented and reflects a lack of confidence in the support provided at SEND support.
“However, this rapid growth has significantly strained specialist providers and resource bases across Tameside.
“The pace at which EHCP numbers have risen has outstripped the ability to plan and expand provision simultaneously, creating substantial pressure on placements — particularly within the specialist sector, where all schools are currently oversubscribed.
“The same challenge applies to specialist resource bases. While efforts are underway to expand SEND capacity, newly acquired data reinforces the urgent need to develop additional provision in Tameside.
“This is essential to ensure that our most vulnerable learners receive the support they require in alignment with future demand.”
Tameside’s executive cabinet will look at developing more facilities, it has more than 500 more EHCPs than a neighbouring local authority, yet 580 fewer specialist places.
The most significant growth areas fall in the speech, language and communication, autism spectrum disorder, social, emotional and mental health and moderate learning difficulties brackets.
And resource bases, which see children taught at mainstream schools but in separate groups, are seen as a favourable option – but there is a ‘gap’ in the borough.
However, a new SEND Sufficiency Strategy for 2024-2034, which would see 143 places brought in across 12 different sites from September 1, is being developed.
Rules surrounding EHCPs were altered during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic to give local authorities and health commissioners more flexibility.
But the executive cabinet report told how action needs to be taken, or Tameside will face a spiralling cost.
It adds: “If current trends continue, high-needs pupil numbers are projected to increase by 213 per cent by 2031/32, with annual revenue costs rising by 200 [per cent and unaffordable capital costs for new placements estimated at £111 million.
“This is unaffordable and unsustainable and sits against a backdrop of falling roles in mainstream schools and the consideration therefore of unviability of some schools in the future.
“An overreliance on out-of-area provision undoubtedly contributes to current budget pressure.
“It is therefore vital that we take a strategic approach to planning provision driven by need and invest available capital funding in the creation of more local places where necessary and appropriate.
“The proposals in this report not only provide a better outcome for children who are able to have a school place able to meet their needs closer to home but provide a more cost-effective model to support pupils in the borough.
“The cost of funding 143 places in a designated resource base is a maximum of £2.46 million per year. This is a revenue cost which would be met from the High Needs Block of the dedicated services grant.
“There is a clear need to develop additional resource provision for pupils with SEND in the borough.”