SEND madness: Britain faces 'ruinous costs' from over diagnosing children episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 24, 2026 · 5 MIN

SEND madness: Britain faces 'ruinous costs' from over diagnosing children

from Reality Check

Why are one in five school children classified as special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in 2026? The rates of children being diagnosed with neurodiverse conditions have scaled to disproportionate rates and the costs are a major concern for the government. Michael Simmons takes a look at the data and explores why devolution has provided some kind of a solution. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcastsContact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 24, 2026

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SEND madness: Britain faces 'ruinous costs' from over diagnosing children

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