The warning has come after the first analysis of its kind in more than a decade.
Carried out by the Council for Disabled Children and the True Colours Trust, it reveals that there are now around 73,000 disabled school children (aged five to 16) in England who have complex needs – this compares to 49,300 in 2004.
The figures have been compiled from School Census data and include:
- 10,900 children with profound and multiple learning difficulties.
- 32,300 children with severe learning difficulties.
- 27,500 children with autistic spectrum disorders in special schools.
- 2,300 children with multi-sensory impairments.
The report – Understanding the needs of disabled children with complex needs or life-limiting conditions – says that there are also some 13,500 children with statements or Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) in the private school sector who are not included in the School Census.
The report says that the underlying reasons for the increasing numbers include increased life expectancy for babies born with complex disabilities and congenital conditions such as cystic fibrosis.
Autism spectrum disorder is the most common primary need among children, accounting for a quarter of statements or EHCPs. The report reveals that 57,200 children have complex forms of autism, more than double the number in 2004.
However, despite the rising numbers, the report warns that the proportion of children with a disability supported by children’s services is “steadily falling” – it currently stands at 0.4 per cent of all 0 to 17-year-olds assessed by social care services as “children in need”.
The report states: “There were 50,800 children in need with a disability or illness in March 2015, 13 per cent of all children in need. The proportion of children in need with a disability has fallen in each of the past five years (since 2011) while the number of children in need has risen overall. This suggests that thresholds for assessing disabled children have been rising.” At the same time, 41,500 children and young people with a learning disability or autism are currently on waiting lists to see a mental health specialist.
The report also calls for better data collection on disabled children, and recommends that the Department for Education requires independent schools to report data on children with statements/EHCPs to the School Census.
Dame Christine Lenehan, director of the Council for Disabled Children, said: “You’d think that because these disabled children are known to health services, social services and education teams, we’d have a good idea of the numbers involved. That simply isn’t the case.
“The national data on disabled children is not fit for purpose: it has gaps, anomalies and inconsistencies, and raises the question how can we plan to meet the needs of these children and their families, when we don’t know what those needs are?”
The report can be downloaded at http://www.councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/help-resources/resources/data-report