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<p>The Safety Valve programme is designed to improve special educational needs and
disabilities (SEND) services by making the very best use of resources to deliver the
support that children and young people need.</p><p> </p><p>The agreements, based on
proposals put forward by each local authority, hold local authorities to account for
doing so in the most effective and sustainable way for the benefit of children and
young people.</p><p> </p><p>The last few years have shown that increased spend does
not automatically equate to better outcomes for children and young people; running
systems more effectively does. Safety Valve plans generally place emphasis on improving
the availability of support in and to mainstream schools, including increasing early
access to support, building parental confidence in the system and increasing the availability
of local provision. It is only through taking these steps and through the genuine
collaboration of all partners locally that high needs systems can be delivered effectively
and sustainably for the future.</p><p> </p><p>City of York Council made a Safety Valve
agreement in 2021, with the department contributing £17.1 million. The authority agreed
to reform their high needs system such that they would subsequently reach a positive
in-year balance on its Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and eliminate its cumulative
deficit by the end of the agreement in 2025/26, while continuing to deliver for children
and young people with SEND. City of York Council is on track to meet the deficit reduction
targets set out in the agreement both for the current reporting year and the lifetime
of the plan.</p><p> </p><p>The department continues to provide City of York Council
with support through the Safety Valve programme via regular contact with department
officials, SEND advisors and financial advisors.</p>
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