 |
answer text |
<p>The Children and Families Act (2014) introduced a range of additional duties for
local authorities in relation to services for children and young people with special
educational needs and disabilities (SEND).</p><p> </p><p>We have invested heavily
in training and support for local authorities to take on their new responsibilities
and improve their services. This includes funding training and resources on education,
health and care planning; leadership skills; joint commissioning of services; and
effectively engaging with children, young people and their families to deliver a service
that meets their needs. We are also working with IPSEA (Independent Parental Special
Education Advice) to deliver legal training for local authorities on the implications
of the SEND reforms, and are funding peer support via a network of local authority
regional coordinators.</p><p>High needs funding has risen by £1 billion since 2013,
to just under £6 billion this year and on 17 December 2018, my right hon. Friend,
the Secretary of State for Education announced additional high needs funding for local
authorities of £125 million in 2018-19 and £125 million in 2019-20 to help local councils
manage the increasing costs of provision for children and young people with SEND.
He also announced a further £100 million top-up to the special provision capital fund
for in 2019-20, to take the total investment to £365 million across 2018 to 2021.
This will help local authorities invest in improved facilities and additional school
and college places for children and young people with SEND.</p><p>Since May 2016,
we have been funding Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to inspect local
areas (the local authority and relevant commissioning health bodies) on how they are
fulfilling their duties for children and young people with SEND. All 152 areas will
be inspected over 5 years and where weaknesses are identified by the inspectors, areas
are being supported by the Department for Education and NHS England regional SEND
advisers to develop and implement an improvement plan known as a written statement
of action (WSOA). Inspections are identifying a wide range of strengths, as well as
areas for improvements and are acting as a real driver for change. Revisits by Ofsted
and the CQC to those areas with a WSOA are helping to ensure than momentum is maintained.</p>
|
|
