SEND
The true value of showing your support
Cllr Izzi Seccombe outlines the benefits of a new recruitment and development scheme to help those in Warwickshire with special educational needs and disabilities gain entry to the workforce.
A flexible plan for every sick child
North Yorkshire CC is proposing to adopt a virtual school approach and more options for learning for those who can’t attend school because of medical needs. Jane le Sage explains the thinking behind the strategy.
Repairing children’s services is an investment worth making
Spending more on services to stop the rising costs of taking children into care must be worth the investment, says Heather Jameson.
Identify children before crisis point
Anne Longfield says that while an extra £1bn for adult and children's services has to be welcome, it will do no more than plug some gaps and leave the systemic problem unaddressed.
Review for SEND support
The Government has announced a major review into the support offered to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
What does the Spending Round mean for public health?
A spending round settlement for public health just slightly above inflation is welcome, but we need ‘bigger and braver thinking’ and a multi-year package, says Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy.
Children are this country’s future
Ahead of the spending round, Rachel Dickinson is urging the Treasury to think of investment in children and their families not as a burden but as potentially life changing.
Treasurers call for SEND funding injection ahead of next week's spending round
Three treasurers’ societies have urged the Department for Education (DfE) to make high needs funding its ‘number one priority’ in its talks with the Treasury ahead of next week's spending round.
The Prime Minister must fix the Special Educational Needs funding system
The system of ‘misaligned incentives’ for Special Educational Needs, with local government as the ‘funder of last resort’ is fundamentally flawed, says Robert Pollock.
One in five fail to keep schools deficit below 1%
One in five councils with education responsibilities have failed to keep their dedicated schools grant (DSG) deficit below 1% of the total, The MJ can reveal.
Road to recovery
Dan Peters assesses the options available to local authorities as many begin to struggle with schools grant deficit recovery plans.
No time to waste in boosting early intervention
Cllr Nickie Aiken says early intervention programmes across London are creating higher quality, responsive provisions that prevent needs from escalating, and helping to manage costs.
Financial risk for children's services across London is 'unsustainable'
Children’s services across London are facing an unsustainable level of financial risk, a new report commissioned by London Councils has warned.
Kent warned over SEND deficit
Members of Kent CC have been warned that the high needs budget deficit will exceed Government limits within a year.
High needs kids: which councils are best?
The system for children with special educational needs is not working. Leo Jones argues that no-one seems to have asked what outcomes were achieved or what value the money has brought – until now
The Department for Education's call for evidence on SEND finances doesn't impress
Better outcomes for children with SEND with the same resources? Sure, says Gary Fielding - 'and I would like merlot without the morning after and wisdom without the wrinkles'
Treasurers warn of SEND funding crisis
Council treasurers have issued a stark warning over Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) funding, claiming councils are facing a snowballing ‘crisis’ which shows ‘no sign of slowing down’.
‘Significant areas of weakness’ found in Stockton’s SEND provision
Watchdogs have criticised the pace of improvements in provision for children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) in Stockton-on-Tees.
Children's services chief challenges SEND plans threshold
A children’s services director has suggested too many children are being assessed for special educational needs plans.
MPs criticise council chiefs for ‘stonewalling’ select committee
The chief executives of two councils have been accused of showing a ‘lack of leadership’ for not attending a meeting of the Education Committee.