Speech and Language UK responds to 18% surge in children needing speech and language EHCPs
New government figures released today reveal a stark 18% rise in children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)—up from 78,199 in 2023 to 92,004 in 2024.
Responding to the increase, Jane Harris, Chief Executive of Speech and Language UK, said:
“This dramatic 18% rise in children needing EHCPs for speech and language challenges shows the system is at breaking point. Schools are doing the right thing by asking for more support because speech, language and communication skills are the bedrock of a child’s ability to thrive and succeed. But teachers aren’t being given the tools to support children.
“We need urgent investment in specialist training for early years staff—and stronger legal protections for children and families who are still battling to get basic support without a legally guaranteed individual plan. The government’s SEND reforms must come with real funding and action. Anything less is a betrayal of our most vulnerable children—and a risk to the country’s long-term future.”
Speech and Language UK is also calling on the Department for Education to ensure any SEND system reforms prioritise:
- Mandatory training in speech and language development for all early years and school staff
- Greater access to in-school speech and language therapy support and specialist teaching
- Legal guarantees so families can get help without long delays or tribunal battles
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
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About Speech and Language UK
For at least two million children in the UK, learning to talk and understand words feels like an impossible hurdle. We work to give every child the skills they need to face the future with confidence. We design innovative tools and training for thousands of early years staff and teachers to use in their classrooms. We run two special schools for children with complex speech and language challenges, Dawn House in Nottinghamshire and Meath in Surrey. We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. And we put pressure on politicians to prioritise help for speech and language challenges.
We demand a country in which every child with challenges in talking and understanding words has the skills they need to face the future with confidence.
