SEEN: Screening Early for Educational Needs

Laura Outhwaite

SEND system in crisis

The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in England is in crisis.

Over 1.7 million children are identified as having SEND, a figure which continues to rise year-on-year. This poses significant challenges for educational outcomes and opportunities, as children with SEND have the largest attainment gap with their peers, compared to other pupil characteristics, such as eligibility for free school meals (FSM) and English as an Additional Language (EAL). Government budgets have also not kept pace with the rise in SEND identification, nor the costs associated with delivering support. This means that funding is being stretched across more children with additional needs.

Effective screening measures are a key component to solving this SEND crisis, as they can efficiently identify which children may need additional follow-up assessments, interventions and support. Research shows that early SEND support can improve outcomes for children and reduce longer term spending pressures. However, few studies have evaluated existing screening measures on a national scale.

The SEEN Study

Our new ESRC-funded study, SEEN: Screening Early for Educational Needs, will be the first national-scale evaluation of two universal screening measures that are widely used in early childhood, including for identifying later SEND. The two measures are:

1) The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFS-P), which is a statutory observational assessment completed by teachers with all 4-5-year-olds in England at the end of Reception.

2) An adapted version of the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale, which is a questionnaire completed by parents when children are 3 years old in ‘Understanding Society’, a nationally representative dataset. This measure is conceptually similar to the Ages and Stages questionnaire completed by parents as part of the 2-2.5-year-old check implemented by health visitors.

The SEEN study will use data from two administrative datasets – the National Pupil Database (NPD) and E-CHILD, which links the NPD to health records – and survey data from Understanding Society to address two objectives.

Evaluate the early screening measures for identifying later SEND

First, our study will evaluate the extent to which children’s performance on these two early screening measures can predict later SEND, including for children from different ethnic, socio-economic status (SES), and EAL groups.

We will also be able to directly compare the validity of both screening measures and make recommendations for practitioners and policymakers about whether children’s SEND needs can (or cannot) be identified from an early age and, if so, how best to use them for this purpose.

Estimate future SEND demand

Next, we will estimate, of the children who recently started school, what proportion are at a heightened risk of later SEND based on their performance on these early screeners, existing chronic health conditions, and other demographic and health factors.

Using DfE guidance documents, complemented by interviews with school and LA leaders, our study will also estimate how much funding may be required to support these children as they progress through their educational careers, and how this compares to existing SEND budgets.

Benefits for children, families, practitioners and policymakers

The SEEN study will run until September 2027, led by Dr. Laura Outhwaite with Prof. Claire Crawford and Prof. Jo Van Herwegen. Over this time, we aim to generate evidence that not only informs policy but also empowers those working directly with children.

At its heart, the SEEN study is about creating a fairer start for disadvantaged children. It’s about ensuring that children’s needs are spotted early, support is in place when it matters most, and every child has the opportunity to reach their potential.