SEND
Criticised council makes SEND investment
Bristol City Council has pledged to spend £29m on capital works to boost services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
High hopes for high needs
IMPOWER has published a list of the best performing councils on high needs. Leo Jones takes a look at who's on it and at what makes them so good.
Government relaxes recovery plan demand
The Government has scrapped its requirement for all councils with a cumulative dedicated schools grant (DSG) deficit of more than 1% to submit a recovery plan.
EXCLUSIVE: Deficit puts councils on cliff edge
Many councils could be pushed over the ‘financial cliff edge’ if the £500m of high-needs deficit faced by the sector is not written off, the Government has been warned.
MPs tell department to 'get a grip' on SEND
The Department for Education (DfE) does not have a grip on mounting pressure in the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system, a watchdog has found.
CIPFA releases new deficits guidance
Councils will not be required to put aside money from their general reserves to support future funding of any dedicated schools grant (DSG) deficit, new guidance has confirmed.
'No quick fixes' after watchdog criticism
Bristol City Council admitted there were ‘no quick fixes’ as it published a written statement of action in the wake of watchdog criticism.
SEND support legal requirements relaxed
The Government has used emergency powers to relax requirements for councils supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
SEND system 'not working as well as it should' - top civil servant
The reformed system for supporting children with special and educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is ‘not working as well as it should,’ senior civil servants have admitted.
Calm prevails despite tough times
A lack of clarity on funding, including on temporary monies for social care and SEND beyond 31 March 2021 means these are challenging times, says Gary Fielding - but despite this most senior officers and councillors seem remarkably calm, he adds.
Frustration grows over SEND deficits funding crackdown
Councils are unhappy about the Government’s message that they cannot rely on schools block funding to address rocketing special needs and disabilities (SEND) deficits. Dan Peters reports.
Councils consider judicial review amid SEND crisis
Councils are starting to talk to lawyers about a potential judicial review of the Government amid a crisis in special educational needs and disability (SEND).
Demand led, resource constrained: SEND is broken
Outraged at the Government's call for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities financial recovery plans, Ian Thomas explains why it is the funding that is flawed, not the execution.
Davey: SEND crisis could blow up in councils
The acting Lib Dem leader has warned that the crisis in special educational needs and disability (SEND) ‘could blow up in councils across the country’.
EXCLUSIVE: Councils sent back to drawing board on SEND
Councils have been sent back to the drawing board after a quango ripped apart their plans to recover massive special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) deficits.
A strong future for SEND services
The Bi-Borough - Westminster City Council and Kensington & Chelsea RLBC - is breaking new ground with next generation SEND case management, according to Vik Verma and Julie Ely.
Let's put investment into our school buildings
Schools capital allocations have been skewed by political priorities, says Gary Fielding As a result, North Yorkshire CC 'find ourselves with swathes of the country having insufficient places to meet demand and/or poor building conditions'.
A gap that will prove hard to close
Dan Peters investigates the scale of the funding challenge faced by the 32 councils told by the Government to bring their SEND funding deficit back into balance within three years.
‘We must do more than tinker at the edges’
The system needs a truly sustainable multi-year financial settlement to ensure children and young people with SEND get the support they need, argues Phil Norrey.
Inspectors expose SEND weaknesses in Bristol
Watchdogs have criticised Bristol City Council for ‘significant areas of weakness’ in its provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
