Local Government Newsletter | Volume 61

Plus: 🧠 The AI tool that drafts 500 EHCPs a month — what It means for SEND teams

Author

Rafe Houston
July 31, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Local Government Updates

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In the Headlines🔍

SEND teams across the UK are quietly embracing AI - and it is working.​ Over the past few months, something remarkable has been happening behind the scenes of EHCP drafting in local government.​

SEND teams - already under pressure from rising demand, complex caseloads, and tight timelines - have begun to adopt Generative AI tools that help them deliver plans faster and with greater consistency. One such tool, developed by the UK based public sector technology company Agilisys, has now been used to draft more than 1,500 EHCPs in just three months.​

It is not replacing professional judgment - far from it. Instead, caseworkers say it is helping them complete the paperwork that once took hours, now in a matter of minutes.​

If you are a SEND team, struggling with the rising number of EHCPs – learn more here about how to get involved.

Quick Reads📖

ADULT SOCIAL CARE

Adult social care vacancies in England have decreased, yet domestic recruitment remains challenging, with 85,000 fewer roles filled by British nationals since the pandemic. Despite a government push to reduce reliance on overseas workers, the sector needs 470,000 more employees by 2040 to meet demand. Investment in recruitment, retention, and development opportunities is crucial.

Yahoo News

RECYCLING INITIATIVE

The UK government has announced a £1.1 billion investment to enhance recycling services across England, shifting the financial burden from taxpayers to packaging producers through the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme. This initiative is designed to improve recycling infrastructure, incentivise businesses to adopt sustainable packaging alternatives, and, ultimately, increase recycling rates and create new jobs, addressing ecological and economic challenges.

SEND EDUCATION REVIEW

Devon's SEND review ought to adopt a more holistic approach, integrating inclusive practices like those at Pilton Community College and the Deaf Academy, to foster an environment where all children can thrive. Embracing methods such as trauma-informed education and adaptive classrooms could diminish the burden of performance, facilitating joyful, holistic development for schoolchildren. Immediate attention is needed to shift focus from results to comprehensive well-being in education, marking potential improvement in children's futures.

AI IN HEALTHCARE

Peterborough City Council has implemented AI chatbot “Hey Geraldine” to capture veteran therapy practitioner Geraldine Jinks' 35 years of experience, offering instant, practical support for adult social care workers. It aims to streamline hospital discharges and improve patient access to assistive technologies, thus enhancing worker efficacy and patient self-sufficiency.

DigWatch

EARLY EDUCATION CONCERNS

Education Minister Stephen Morgan visited KIDS Nursery in Basingstoke, highlighting its successes and challenges in supporting children with SEND. Despite the nursery's achievements, the visit underscored systemic issues like delays in securing EHCPs, high costs, and limited specialist service provision, urging the need for improvements to truly support SEND families.

Basingstoke Gazette