The government’s improvement plan pledges to offer children with SEND, or in alternative provision, “high quality, early support wherever they live in the country”.
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But the Local Government Association’s children and young people board chair Louise Griffiths is concerned the measures “do not go far enough in addressing the fundamental cost and demand issues that result in councils struggling to meet the needs of children with SEND”.
It warns that councils currently face a £1.9bn SEND funding blackhole, rising to £3.6bn by 2025.
Councils share Gov ambition to ensure every child with #SEND gets high-quality support that meets their needs
— LGANews (@LGANews) March 2, 2023
However, measures announced today don't address cost and demand issues that result in councils struggling to meet the needs of children with SEND https://t.co/lOJlGhrAxX
In announcing the plan, the government has pledged to boost investment in SEND and AP with training for “thousands of workers”, fresh SEND and AP standards, swifter assessment of education, health and care plans (EHCPs), additional places and 33 new areas for free schools.
The £10bn investment for 2023/24 being pledged by the government represents a 50 per cent uplift on 2019/20’s spending.
Association of Directors of Children’s Services president Steve Crocker is concerned that even with this additional funding “there is still not enough money in the system to meet the level of need being seen”.
While welcoming the improvement plans’ “promising start” he said that the “SEND and AP system needs a reset to make it work better for all children and families, to strengthen accountabilities and to reduce the insurmountable costs that threaten the financial sustainability of local authorities”.
He added: “The plan must go much further and faster in a number of areas.”
Another local government representative body to respond to the improvement plan is the County Councils Network, which warns that local authorities “are already struggling with the deficits built up in the system”.
Campaigners for children with disabilities have also reacted to the plan.
This includes the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS), which warns urgent action is needed to train more teachers of the deaf, with nearly one in five roles lost over the last decade.
“The plan is a positive step in the right direction and greatly needed,” said NDCS chief policy advisor Ian Noon.
Sense head of policy, public affairs and research Sarah White said the “transformational reform” being promised is “desperately needed”.
“Families are left frustrated and tired, trying to navigate services that are ill-equipped to support their needs,” she said.
“There is very little consistency in the level of support available across the country and children with complex disabilities are not getting the support they need.”
But she added: “Whether the changes will lead to a reformed SEND system that delivers the support disabled children need, we’ll have to wait and see.”
Meanwhile, Council for Disabled Children director Christine Lenehan said the plan acknowledges “the difficult experiences of some children” in the current SEND and AP system.
Today the government published the SEND & Alternative Provision Improvement Plan. The plan sets out their roadmap for implementing a single, national system & achieving change in practice so every child & young person can thrive https://t.co/aWjYVlP9Wz. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/f1n4dG0V4c
— CDC (@CDC_tweets) March 2, 2023
Youth Sport Trust’s head of sport Vicci Wells urged ministers to ensure the improvement plan “brings about inclusive and meaningful change for SEND pupils”.
She wants to see the government “go further to ensure every educator is supported to create a culture of inclusion and foster a sense of belonging for every child at school”.
Elsewhere, children’s commissioner for England Rachel de Souza welcomed a commitment to offer early help “to prevent families from reaching breaking point”.
Birmingham, Salford, Hampshire and Wokingham are among the areas to see special free schools approved to increase capacity.
“There is an acute shortage of special school places across the country and Birmingham is no exception, so this is really good news,” said Birmingham Council’s cabinet member for children, young people and families Karen McCarthy, after the DfE announced two SEND free schools have been approved for the city.
“Having these extra places will ease the pressure on our existing special schools and allow our children and families to access the much-needed provision they are entitled to.”
