Welsh additional learning needs system suffering from data gaps, watchdog says

Writing in a report on children and young people with ALN, the watchdog also said it found the system "under strain" and facing challenges "that threaten its sustainability".  

Under the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018, Welsh public bodies must identify and meet the ALN of children and young people.

Audit Wales's report looked at whether public bodies - mainly the Welsh Government and councils - understand ALN demand, workforce capacity and skills, costs, and outcomes.

The report estimated that the costs of delivering and supporting ALN services are approaching £1bn a year. However, it stressed that this is "not the full picture, and the true cost will be higher".

It also reported that Welsh councils' budgeted expenditure on ALN or SEN between 2018-19 and 2025-26 has increased 34% in real terms.

This was coupled with an incomplete picture of demand, costs, and outcomes, “so [public authorities] do not have enough information for effective planning and budgeting, and with which to assess value for money”.

“Ultimately, we have concerns about the current performance of the system in supporting learners to meet their full potential," the report said.

The auditor said it came to this view in light of "patchy workforce data", a poor understanding among public authorities of ALN costs, and a "limited picture" of whether the system is delivering good outcomes for learners.

It also found that councils have different thresholds for deciding if learners have ALN, "which could be leading to inconsistent understanding of need".

The report said variations in how councils define ALN have partly driven differences in the proportion of pupils identified with ALN or SEN. In 2024/25, the Isle of Anglesey recorded the highest rate at 17.3%, compared with just 6% in Denbighshire, against a Wales-wide average of 9.5%.

Audit Wales went on to recommend that the Welsh Government collect and publish more consistent data across age ranges and settings.

It also called on the Welsh Government to work on improving data on workforce capacity and on the costs of ALN.

Elsewhere, it recommended the Welsh Government agree with key stakeholders on an approach to collecting and monitoring data on outcomes for learners with ALN.

Adrian Crompton, Auditor General for Wales, said: “The story that has emerged is one of uncertainty because of gaps in key data. Without a better understanding of these issues, it is difficult to say whether the system is working as well as it could for the learners it supports.

“This is even more important because we know that the spending involved in supporting learners with ALN has been increasing, putting pressure on wider budgets.”

He added: “There has been a significant amount of work involved in efforts to reform the system for the better over recent years. However, the system remains under strain and there is still a lot more that can be done to ensure it does as well as it can for our children and young people, both now and for future generations.”

Adam Carey