Reforming report for SEND education 'welcome'

Staffordshire's education leader has largely welcomed a House of Commons report recommending reform to the provision of Special Educational Needs.

With councils across the country facing demand for support outstripping budgets, Staffordshire County Council has previously called for substantial changes to funding, assessment and how provision is delivered.

Now the cross-party Education Select Committee has published a report recommending multiple changes, including retaining Education Health and Care Plans, establishing national minimum standards for the provision of support for different levels of need, and investing in more specialist state schools.

Janet Higgins, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet member for Education and SEND, said:

The National Audit Office has already said that current system is unsustainable and councils across the country are building up huge debts as a result.

It's inevitable that we will have to improve support in mainstream schools, consider whether Education Health and Care Plans can be more focused on need, and develop plans to curb the cost of placements at independent schools.

Add to that the fact that Government funding to councils always lags behind actual expenditure and it's clear that the Government's proposals for change need to be bold, wide-ranging and able to be implemented quickly."

The County Council is embarking on an ambitious plan that includes the increase in places across several existing special schools and the development of a new, all-age special school.

It is hoped that the new provision will provide around 220 additional places for children and young people who require specialist support for social communication and social interaction needs.

Janet Higgins said:

The quality of Staffordshire's special school provision is excellent but because demand is outstripping supply there is also a reliance on independent providers, which cost an average of £61,500 per place compared to £23,900 in the state sector.

I would like to see a cap on those costs and, at the same time, if we can provide more support for children in mainstream schools close to their homes we can reduce demand for special school places."

The Education Select Committee report argued that the fact parents won around tribunal appeals in 95 per cent demonstrated systemic failings in local authority decision-making.

However, Janet Higgins said:

I disagree with that conclusion in that much of the problems are caused by the greater pressures on the system.

What is vital is that we restore trust and accountability by focusing on more early intervention and more collaborative working with parents and the different professionals involved."