SEND funding announcement: Govt must go further and “stand up to private equity”

EMBARGO: 22:30 Thursday 11th December 2025

Responding to the Government’s announcement on SEND funding and placements, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, Children and Families, Munira Wilson MP said:

"For too long, children and families have been failed by governments unwilling to face a simple truth: children with special educational needs thrive when they can learn in safe, supportive settings close to home. We welcome any ambition to ensure children with SEND get the support they desperately need.

“This announcement must be matched by ambitious reforms to diagnosis and support. Children with SEND must be identified earlier and given the help they need throughout their school journey. We need a thought out plan to recruit and train enough teachers and specialists to staff this expansion in schools.

“Liberal Democrats are calling for the Government to stand up to the private equity firms that are taking families for a ride and draining council coffers. We must introduce a cap on the profits that private equity sucks from the system, and reinvest them into the support that children need.”

ENDS