Wiltshire Council given Government help to tackle SEND overspend
The authority's getting £67 million over six years
Wiltshire Council's been added to a multi-million pound Government scheme, aimed at tackling overspending on services for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
The authority's had an application to join the Safety Valve scheme approved by the Department for Education.
That'll see £67 million of funding coming to Wiltshire over six years.
The Council say that'll go towards providing an additional 500 special school places across the county to make sure fewer children have to travel out of Wiltshire for schooling.
The money will also go into more 'resource bases' to provide SEND support for mainstream schools, and new staff to provide early support to children and their families.
Safety Valve is being focussed on authorities with a high overspend on SEND provision, with the agreed plan looking to improve financial recovery as well as boosting services.
Cllr Jane Davies, Cabinet Member for SEND said:
“I am pleased the DfE has recognised and approved our plan. It was co-designed with schools, parents and carers, health and care professionals and most importantly with children. We know the next few years will be challenging as we work together on a new approach to SEND and it is important, we continue to work together so we can action our plan and provide sustainable SEND support and opportunities for every child to thrive.”
Stuart Hall, Strategic Director of the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council said:
“Parent carers were key to informing Wiltshire’s plan as part of the Safety Valve programme; their voice informed the priorities that will be a key focus as the plan delivers important actions over the next five years. This agreement should help to put an essential focus on meeting need at the right time, increasing the range and capacity of provision, and improve the experience of children and young people with SEND in Wiltshire and their families.
"As a partner in the programme, the WPCC will continue to champion for ongoing opportunities for parent carers, children and young people to be involved as the plan is delivered.”
Inclusion in the plan has also been welcomed by one of Wiltshire's MPs.
Dr Andrew Murrison, who's a former special school governor, said:
"A big well done to Wiltshire Council for securing this substantial funding which will benefit my young constituents with complex needs and their families.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the detail of the council's plans and hope it will reduce the need for out of county placements."