DfE extends neurodiversity support scheme, but with less funding

The government has extended a programme that boosts neurodiversity support in mainstream schools, but with less funding than its trial run.

The DfE’s Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme supports neurodiverse students “by training teachers to identify and better meet their needs and improves parental engagement”.

The initial year-long trial was announced by the Conservative government in 2023, as part of a push for more early intervention in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.

With a £13 million budget, it is understood to have reached around 450,000 children at 1,680 primaries – around one in 10 mainstream primaries in England.

It will now be extended for another year across a further 1,200 schools, where it is expected to benefit around 300,000 more children with conditions such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia. But its funding with be £9.5 million – around one-quarter less than the initial pilot.

The DfE said this is because additional investment was needed in the first year to fund set-up costs, which would not be needed in 2025-26.

Similar step taken with speech and language scheme

Earlier this month, the DfE took a similar step with its Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) scheme, which sees specialist teams deployed to primary and early years settings to help identify children with developmental delays sooner.

That scheme has also been extended by 12 months, but with a reduction in funding.

Under the pilot, schools received five days’ worth of additional specialist support from occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, mental health practitioners, educational psychologists, specialist nurses or specialist teachers. 

Back in January, Bridget Phillipson told her first education committee meeting the PINS programme was “promising” and that the government wanted to roll it out further.

Phillipson said on Thursday: “The impact on life chances when there is a lack of appropriate support for neurodivergent children can be devastating.”

She said the government is striving for “a different future” for children with SEND, which is “inclusive and tailored to meet their needs”.