News

Hinds challenged over ‘dangerously inadequate’ SEND funding

A coalition of trade unions and 39 local authorities have written to the education secretary to warn of “dangerously inadequate funding” for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The School Cuts Coalition was first formed in November 2016 and now includes NEU, NAHT, ASCL, Unison, GMB and Unite.

In a letter to Damian Hinds, the group has demanded “a significant increase in high-needs block funding to local authorities, which will allow LAs and schools to provide appropriate support to children and young people with the most complex needs”.

It also requested an “immediate increase in funding for schools” to allow then to deliver additional support for SEND pupils.

In November 2017, the government announced an extra £29 million to allow councils “to continue pressing ahead with implementation of the reforms to the SEND system”.

But the coalition claims the government’s recent cash injection “does not introduce any new money into local authority budgets” and therefore “will not solve the long-term challenges LAs and schools face in delivering effective SEND provision”.

Funding problems have been exacerbated by a rule change that means councils are no longer able to freely move money from general schools funding to cover spikes in demand for higher-needs cash.

Just 0.5 per cent of schools’ funding can be moved into the high-needs block for special schools and pupil referral units, if it is needed to cover an increased demand for places. To transfer the money councils must have the approval of a schools forum, a group of local heads.

A Schools Week investigation in April revealed that 27 local authorities had appealed the rule, and four won permission to move the money without agreement. A further 11 were allowed to move more that 0.5 per cent, provided they gained the approval of a schools forum. Overall, more Conservative councils were successful in their appeals that Labour councils.

During the same month a survey of 901 staff working in schools in England by the ATL section of the NEU found half had witnessed their school cut support for SEND children this year, 10 per cent more than in 2017.

The letter claimed that there are over 2,000 children and young people with SEND who are currently at home with no education provision at all.

“This is an unacceptable situation leading to huge stress and anxiety for parents and their children,” it said.

“It is time this situation was reversed by implementing a fair and fully funded system for SEND that ensures children and their families are given the education and support they need and are entitled to.”

Minister for children and families Nadhim Zawahi said: “We want to make sure every child with special educational needs gets the support that they rightly deserve.

“We are undertaking the biggest special educational needs reforms in a generation, introducing education and health care plans that are tailored to the needs of individuals and put families at the heart of the process.

“Already, nearly 320,000 children and young people are benefiting from these and we will continue to work to make sure every child gets the support they need to fulfil their potential.”

The councils challenging Hinds over SEND funding

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council

Birmingham City Council

Bolton Council

Bristol City Council

Cambridgeshire County Council

Cumbria County Council

Ealing London Borough Council

Enfield London Borough Council

Gateshead Council

Hackney London Borough Council

Halton Borough Council

Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council

Hartlepool Borough Council

Hounslow London Borough Council

Islington London Borough Council

Kingston London Borough Council

Lambeth London Borough Council

Leeds City Council

Lewisham London Borough Council

Liverpool City Council

Middlesbrough Council

Newcastle City Council

Plymouth City Council

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Salford City Council

Sheffield City Council

South Tyneside Council

Southwark London Borough Council

St. Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Waltham Forest London Borough Council

Warrington Borough Council

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

Wiltshire Council Baroness

Wokingham Borough Council

Latest education roles from

IT Technician

IT Technician

Harris Academy Morden

Teacher of Geography

Teacher of Geography

Harris Academy Orpington

Lecturer/Assessor in Electrical

Lecturer/Assessor in Electrical

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Director of Management Information Systems (MIS)

Director of Management Information Systems (MIS)

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Exams Assistant

Exams Assistant

Richmond and Hillcroft Adult & Community College

Lecturer Electrical Installation

Lecturer Electrical Installation

Solihull College and University Centre

Your thoughts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *