Democracy under threat: Elections Bill’s risk to people with additional needs
Dr Mark Brookes discusses why measures to introduce voter ID could affect voter participation for those with learning disabilities.
Unravelling the knot of education, health and care plans
29/07/2021 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. |
Special needs deficits to grow to £1.3bn in two years
30/06/2021 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. |
SEND services in Suffolk to be reviewed
15/06/2021 An independent review into Suffolk County Council’s special educational needs and disability services is to be conducted following criticisms by families. |
Working in partnership to get more people with disabilities and complex needs into employment
14/06/2021 Cllr Lorraine Dean explains how a pilot partnership project with housebuilder and contractor, Durkan, has created a blueprint for supporting more people with disabilities and complex needs into employment. |
Councils must meet their SEND legal duties
20/05/2021 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. |
Construction of £23m council-funded school for SEND students complete
17/05/2021 Somerset CC has announced that construction has finished on Polden Bower School, a brand new £23m council-funded school for students with complex needs. |
Council chiefs call for review of SEND system to be completed ‘urgently’
14/05/2021 Council leaders have called on Government to ‘urgently complete’ its review of the SEND system and to ensure councils have funding to support SEND children. |
Children and families need £12.5bn over three years, says new ADCS president
22/04/2021 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. |
Extended funding for projects for children with SEND
12/02/2021 The Government has extended funding for projects to support children with special educational needs and disabilities. |
SEND education requires ‘radical shake-up’, council chiefs say
03/12/2020 The high needs system for further education is ‘not working and requires a radical shake-up’, council and college leaders say. |
Ofsted warns of COVID impact on SEND support
09/11/2020 The pandemic has ‘seriously affected’ support for special educational needs an disabilities (SEND), according to Ofsted. |
Three key elements can optimise out-of-area placements for children with SEND
14/10/2020 Professor Sandy Toogood explains what features of provision are required when out-of-area residential school placement is needed for children with special educational needs and disabilities. |
A personalised approach holds the key to unlocking our SEND challenge
28/08/2020 Prof. Sandy Toogood argues there is huge opportunity to reframe SEND provision and focus on the importance of a personalised approach. |
Councils warned about discriminating against autistic children
06/08/2020 More than 40 councils have been criticised for unlawfully discriminating against autistic children. |
Thousands of new school spaces for SEND children
20/07/2020 New special free schools will provide over 3,000 extra places for pupils with the most complex needs. |
Tackling our SEND challenge
14/07/2020 Peter Whitmore explains why collaboration and knowledge sharing are crucial to tackling the SEND challenge. |
Local areas to get extra support to strengthen SEND services
10/07/2020 Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) will visit local areas to help them improve their SEND services following the disruption caused by COVID-19. |
County increases scrutiny of its special educational needs services
02/07/2020 Norfolk County Council has agreed to regular scrutiny of its services for children with special educational needs after the ombudsman found it 'failed' the same boy twice. |
Teachers call for summer holiday offer to support children
19/06/2020 Teachers have urged the Government to fund councils to help them provide summer activities for children in preparation for a return to school in September. |
MPs tell department to 'get a grip' on SEND
05/05/2020 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. |
Council ‘surprised’ by criticisms of its SEND transport policy
25/02/2020 A council has expressed surprise at a ruling by the local government Ombudsman which criticised its transport policy for adult learners with special educational needs (SEND). |
A strong future for SEND services
29/01/2020 How did two non-IT people deliver a successful SEND digital transformation project? Vik Verma and Deborah Brooks explain. |
Councils sent back to drawing board on SEND
28/01/2020 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. |
Council apologises for ‘significant failings’ in SEND provision
14/01/2020 Richmond council has acknowledged that there were ‘significant failings’ in its provision of special educational needs and disability services after a critical Ombudsman report. |
London borough rejects insourcing children’s services
11/12/2019 Kingston LBC had considered returning services from a wholly-owned company when their contract ends in 2021. |
Bristol accused of 'abject failure' over SEND care plans
26/11/2019 An overhaul of services for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is under way at Bristol City Council, after it failed to meet deadlines for families applying for support. |
Index shows large variation in England's incusive schools
12/11/2019 Schools in London are the most inclusive in England, new analysis has revealed today. |
Special educational needs reforms ‘poorly implemented’, MPs say
23/10/2019 A generation of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities is being failed by the Government’s SEND reforms, MPs warn. |
Nine in 10 complaints about SEND provision upheld by Ombudsman
03/10/2019 The Ombudsman is receiving more complaints about education, health and care plans (EHCP) than ever before – and the vast majority are being upheld. |
Holyrood launches review of additional support provision in schools
23/09/2019 The Scottish government is calling on parents of children with additional support needs to give their views about the educational help available to their kids. |
Cash-strapped councils struggling to support SEND children, auditors warn
11/09/2019 Auditors have warned that councils are coming under growing financial pressure as the demand for supporting school pupils with the greatest needs rises. |
Whitehall to review support for children with special educational needs
06/09/2019 The Government has announced a major review into the support offered to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). |
Spending Round 19: Schools receive £7.1bn funding boost
04/09/2019 School spending will increase by £7.1bn by 2022-23, the chancellor confirmed today. |
Councils call for incentives to help schools support children with special needs
29/08/2019 Mainstream schools should be incentivised to accept more children with special needs, council leaders have said today. |
Financial risk for children's services across London is 'unsustainable'
22/07/2019 Children’s services across London are facing an unsustainable level of financial risk, a new report commissioned by London Councils has warned. |
This issue of Public Property examines how how flexible workspaces can lead the way in regeneration for local authorities, Why local authority intervention is key to successful urban regeneration schemes and if the Government’s challenge of embracing beauty is an opportunity for communities.
The March issue also takes a closer look at Blackburn with Darwen Council's first digital health hub to help people gain control over health and care services.
