SEND Resignations Hit EHCP Plans – Barking & Dagenham 2026

Key Points

• A third of Barking and Dagenham Council’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) staff resigned last year, placing the council under significant pressure and creating a backlog of hundreds of assessments.​
• The council issued 313 Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in 2025, a sharp decline from 502 the previous year, despite rising demand for assessments.​
• EHCPs are legal documents outlining the extra support children with special needs are entitled to.​
• Four staff members from the council’s 12-person SEND team resigned in summer 2025, as revealed at an Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 11 February 2026.​
• Recruiting SEND staff remains a challenge across London, according to a council spokesperson who spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.​
• The council has created a new team dedicated solely to completing assessments and clearing the backlog.​
• Agency staff have been brought in to cover vacancies until permanent roles are filled.​
• Jane Hargreaves, the council’s commissioning director for education, described the working environment as “an incredibly high-pressured environment” during the committee meeting.​
• Increased demand for SEND support has coincided with the aftermath of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.​
• The council began struggling with demand in 2022 and has “never really caught up,” as stated by Jane Hargreaves.​

Barking and Dagenham (East London Times) February 24, 2026 – Barking and Dagenham Council is facing mounting pressure after a third of its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) staff resigned last year, leading to a significant backlog in assessments for children requiring extra support.​

This development has resulted in a drastic reduction in issued Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), the legal documents that specify entitlements to specialised assistance, dropping from 502 in 2024 to just 313 in 2025 despite growing demand. The resignations, which affected four members of the 12-person SEND team during summer 2025, were disclosed at the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 11 February 2026. Council officials have attributed the strain to broader challenges in recruitment and surging needs post-pandemic.​

Why Did a Third of SEND Staff Resign?

The resignations represent a substantial loss, with four out of 12 staff members from Barking and Dagenham Council’s SEND team departing in summer 2025. This was brought to light during the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 11 February 2026, where the scale of the issue became public. A council spokesperson, speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, highlighted that recruiting SEND staff is “a challenge across London,” pointing to a regional difficulty in filling these specialised positions.​

As reported by journalists from the BBC and Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council has responded by introducing agency staff to cover the vacancies in the interim. This temporary measure aims to maintain service continuity while permanent hires are sought. The high turnover has exacerbated an existing backlog, now numbering in the hundreds, as the remaining team grapples with overwhelming workloads.

What Is the Impact on EHCP Issuances?

EHCPs, which legally mandate the support children with special educational needs and disabilities receive, saw a precipitous fall in 2025. Barking and Dagenham Council issued only 313 such plans last year, compared to 502 the year prior, according to official figures presented by the council. This drop occurred against a backdrop of rising demand for assessments, underscoring a critical service gap.​

The backlog stems directly from the staffing shortages, delaying the processing of new applications. Families awaiting these plans are left in limbo, potentially affecting children’s access to timely educational and health support. The council’s data reveals the stark reality: despite more referrals, fewer plans materialised due to capacity constraints.​

How Is the Council Addressing the Backlog?

In response to the crisis, Barking and Dagenham Council has established a new team “focus solely on completing assessments and clearing the backlog,” as stated by a council spokesperson to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Agency workers have also been deployed to plug immediate gaps left by the resignations. These steps reflect an urgent bid to restore functionality to the SEND service.​

Permanent recruitment efforts continue amid London’s competitive job market for SEND professionals. The council’s actions were detailed at the 11 February Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, where strategies for recovery were discussed openly.​

What Did Jane Hargreaves Say About the Pressures?

Jane Hargreaves, the council’s commissioning director for education, addressed the committee on 11 February 2026, describing the environment as “an incredibly high-pressured environment”. She linked the surge in demand to the aftermath of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, noting these factors intensified needs for SEND support. Hargreaves explained that the council “started to struggle with demand in 2022 and never really caught up,” providing historical context for the current predicament.​

Her statements, as reported by the BBC via the Local Democracy Reporting Service, emphasise systemic challenges rather than isolated mismanagement. Hargreaves’ testimony highlights how external pressures have compounded internal staffing issues.​

Why Has SEND Demand Increased in Barking and Dagenham?

The rise in SEND assessments aligns with national trends but hits Barking and Dagenham particularly hard. Jane Hargreaves told the Overview and Scrutiny Committee that demand escalated post-pandemic, intertwined with the cost-of-living crisis. These events, from 2020 onwards, have amplified vulnerabilities among children and families, leading to more referrals.​

The council first noted strains in 2022, a point Hargreaves reiterated: the authority “never really caught up” since then. This ongoing escalation explains why EHCP issuances plummeted despite higher application volumes.​

What Challenges Does SEND Recruitment Face in London?

Recruiting for SEND roles proves difficult borough-wide, according to a council spokesperson cited by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Barking and Dagenham mirrors a London-wide issue, where high-pressure roles deter candidates. Jane Hargreaves reinforced this at the committee meeting, painting a picture of unrelenting demands.​

Agency staff serve as a stopgap, but long-term solutions elude the council amid competition for skilled workers. The spokesperson’s comments underscore that Barking and Dagenham’s plight is not unique but symptomatic of broader sector woes.​

When Did the Resignations Occur and What Was Revealed at the Meeting?

The four resignations took place in summer 2025, shrinking the SEND team from 12 to eight core members. This timeline emerged during the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 11 February 2026, a public forum where councillors probed council officials. The session laid bare the backlog’s extent and its origins.​

Details on EHCP figures and recruitment hurdles were tabled there, with Jane Hargreaves providing key insights. The meeting’s revelations, covered by the BBC and Local Democracy Reporting Service, have spotlighted the issue for residents.​

How Does This Affect Families in Barking and Dagenham?

Families face prolonged waits for EHCPs, delaying vital support for children with special needs. The backlog of hundreds means some assessments linger unresolved, impacting education and wellbeing. Rising demand unmet by capacity leaves parents in uncertainty.​

Councillors at the 11 February meeting voiced concerns over these repercussions, urging swift action. As a deprived borough, Barking and Dagenham’s children are especially reliant on these services.​

What Are the Broader Implications for East London Councils?

Barking and Dagenham’s struggles echo across East London, where SEND pressures mount. Similar recruitment woes plague neighbouring boroughs, per the council spokesperson’s London-wide assessment. Post-pandemic recovery remains uneven.​

The case prompts questions on funding and support for local authorities. Hargreaves’ remarks suggest sustained investment is needed to “catch up”.

What Happens Next for Barking and Dagenham’s SEND Service?

The new dedicated team and agency cover signal immediate priorities. Permanent hires will determine if the backlog clears sustainably. Further committee scrutiny may follow the 11 February disclosures.​

Residents watch as the council navigates these hurdles, with EHCP restoration key to service credibility. Ongoing demand requires adaptive strategies.