More than 400 young people each day approached their council for special needs support last year, as new figures show record-breaking demand for those services and highlight a system in ‘desperate need of reform.’

Data released today from the Department of Education shows that the number of pupils this year in receipt of an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), a legal document outlining special needs support, has now reached over 638,000 young people. Across England, the number of young people in receipt of an EHCP has more than trebled since 2017.