Children's Commissioner for England (Dame Rachel de Souza) · 2025
A landmark census of nearly 19,000 state-funded schools and colleges in England — representing 86% of all such settings — found that schools are increasingly filling gaps left by underfunded wider children's services, providing mental health, social care, and community support far beyond their core teaching role. The report reveals wide variation in pastoral provision by region and deprivation level, and shows that funding shortfalls, lack of specialist staff, and poor data sharing prevent schools from fully meeting pupils' additional needs. The Commissioner makes seven major recommendations for reform, including a national 'additional needs' framework, a new Children's Plan digital platform, a core specialist support offer for all schools, and reformed Education, Health and Care Plans.