SEND
Council apologises for SEND failures
Suffolk CC has apologised to families who rely on special educational needs and disabilities provision after a report found the council was 'not performing well'.
SEND children being left behind by council
Children with special educational needs are being left behind by council services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, inspectors have found.
School transport contractor axed over safeguarding concerns
Birmingham City Council said the contract had been terminated following a breach of terms.
‘Significant inequities’ in SEN funding exposed
Differences of tens of millions in funding were found in areas with similar demographics, a report for the SEN Policy Research Forum has found.
Birmingham faces intervention on SEND
Birmingham City Council faces a further intervention after a damning Ofsted report revealed it was not making progress.
EXCLUSIVE: Special needs demand increases for every council
Demand for education, health and care plans (EHCP) has increased for every council in the last three years, new analysis has revealed.
Unravelling the knot of education, health and care plans
Leo Jones lays out the deeper challenges that need to be recognised and addressed if the SEND review is going to tackle the complex problems behind rising numbers of education, health and care plans.
Care review must be part of a long-term plan for children - ADCS
The independent review of children's social care ‘must go further and be part of a coherent and strategic long-term plan for children,’ according to the president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS).
Special needs deficits to grow to £1.3bn in two years
A ‘spiralling deficit’ in special educational needs services (SEN) is expected to grow to an ‘unmanageable’ £1.3bn in just two years’ time, county councils have warned.
Councils must meet their SEND legal duties
No matter how tight budgets are, councils still need to be held to account for how they are discharging their statutory SEND duties, says Catriona Moore.
Tackle high needs before it is too late
Lorna Baxter says the statutory override in place until March 2023, which allows for a negative high needs reserve is 'not even a sticking plaster - frankly, it’s bonkers. The money has been spent'.
EXCLUSIVE: High needs spending could 'bankrupt councils'
A senior finance director has warned that spending on high needs threatens to ‘bankrupt councils’ as local authorities queue up for a bail out.
Children and families need £12.5bn over three years, says new ADCS president
The growing number of children and families who need support 'to thrive, not just survive in the wake of the pandemic' will need investment of around £12.5bn over three years, says England's new children’s services chief.
Police investigate children's homes after suspensions
Police are investigating the closure of two Doncaster-based children’s homes suspended by Ofsted amid safeguarding concerns, The MJ has learned.
SEND funding boost of £280m announced
Councils will receive £280m to create new school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Somerset MP urges county to up SEN spend
A Somerset MP has urged the county council to find £2.4m from existing coffers to settle a two-year dispute over SEN funding.
Boarding home closures prompt council response
Councils have been called on to help accommodate children with special educational needs after two boarding homes had their registrations suspended following critical inspections.
Five councils strike bailout deals with government over SEND
Five councils have struck deals worth at least £100m that will allow them to wipe out their massive special educational needs deficits (SEND).
Coming up for air – what councils need to think about
John Fowler looks at the range of ways in which councils can help children and young people recover from the impact of the pandemic.
EXCLUSIVE: Pressure mounts over SEND grant deficit
Councils are facing renewed pressure from the Department for Education (DfE) to make cuts to bring their massive special educational needs deficits into line.
