What do the election results mean for education policy?

Recent elections - including yesterday's by-elections - across England, Scotland and Wales have reshaped the political landscape and may have important implications for education, children's services and wider systems of support for children and young people.

In England, the May local government elections highlighted continuing shifts in political support and increasing variation in local political control. Regardless of political control, councils continue to face rising demand for SEND support, increasing expenditure on specialist placements, workforce pressures and growing concerns around children's mental health and wellbeing. The elections are unlikely to change these underlying pressures, but they may influence how local authorities prioritise early intervention, inclusion and SEND provision within increasingly constrained budgets.

Alongside these local election results, Andy Burnham's return to Westminster has attracted considerable attention. Throughout his time as Mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham has championed integrated approaches to public services, emphasising prevention, mental health, reducing inequalities and closer collaboration between education, health and social care. His growing national profile may contribute to wider policy discussions about devolved and place-based approaches to supporting children and young people.

In Scotland, the Scottish Parliament election returned the SNP as the largest party for a fifth consecutive term, although without an overall majority. The party's programme places considerable emphasis on inclusion, Additional Support Needs, neurodiversity, mental health and early intervention. Proposed reforms include a national staged intervention model for Additional Support Needs and closer integration between education, health and social care services. The election also produced a more fragmented parliamentary landscape, suggesting that education policy is likely to remain an area of active debate throughout the coming parliamentary term.  Thursday's by-election result signalled further shift, with the Conservatives securing their first Westminster seat in Scotland.

Meanwhile, Wales has entered a new political era following Plaid Cymru's emergence as the largest party in the Senedd. The new Welsh Government has signalled a continued focus on inclusion, Additional Learning Needs, neurodiversity, wellbeing and reducing barriers associated with poverty and disadvantage. Many of these priorities closely reflect issues that have long been central to educational psychology practice and policy.

Across all three nations, several common themes are emerging: increasing attention to children's mental health and wellbeing, growing recognition of neurodiversity, a focus on inclusion and early intervention, and continued concern about the impact of poverty and inequality on educational outcomes. While political circumstances differ, the challenges facing children, families, schools and support services remain remarkably similar.