SEND and inclusion news
West Sussex County Council secures vital government education funding
The county council has secured £182.7m of government funding to help deliver better outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
It follows the Department for Education’s approval of the local SEND Reform Plan created jointly by the county council and NHS Surrey and Sussex. The SEND Reform Plan outlines how national government changes to the SEND system will be delivered in West Sussex.
The £182.7m High Needs Stability Grant will cover 90% of a deficit created by the cost of delivering SEND support in West Sussex being greater than the ring-fenced funding the council receives from the government, which is called the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).
The DSG is used by the county council to pay for support for pupils with complex special educational needs, alternative provision and special schools, as well as mainstream school budgets, free childcare provision and early education.
However, there remains uncertainty around the remaining deficit, which is created by the cost of increasing demand for SEND services outpacing available funding from the government.
Councillor Sam Raby, West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning, said: “Supporting children and young people with SEND continues to be one of our highest priorities. The government’s decision to approve our SEND Reform Plan and allocate us the full amount that we were able to request is an important step forward for West Sussex.
“It reflects the progress we've made by working together, promoting inclusion, and improving our process to so that we can deliver better outcomes for children and young people now and into the future.
“We have already increased in the percentage of Education, Health and Care Plans which we are delivering within the statutory 20-week timescale, and we continue to expand specialist provision across the county to meet growing demand.
“My thanks go to our dedicated staff who helped create such a comprehensive SEND Reform Plan, which was key to us securing this vital government funding and providing a level of short-term financial stability for the county council’s children’s services.
“But the fact remains that the money we receive from national government is not enough to cover the cost of delivering support for those with SEND in West Sussex. The increasing debt forecast for delivering those services both here in West Sussex, and elsewhere across the country, is simply not sustainable.
“I shall continue to lobby the Department for Education to highlight the challenges faced here in West Sussex, and push for the funding we need to ensure all of our children and young people can continue to thrive.”
The October edition of our SEND and Inclusion newsletter is now available. It includes:
- SEND Reform Plan update
- ‘Autistic and Wonderfully Wired’ conference for parent carers and professionals
- quality assurance update - strengths and areas for improvement
- spotlight on selective or situational mutism
Conference event
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- Time: 9.30am to 2.30pm (registration from 9am)
- Ticket price: £20 per ticket (including lunch - dietary requirements will be collected on booking)
About the event
The West Sussex Autism Ambassadors are groups of autistic children and young people. They work alongside friends and other young people who support autism and want to be good allies.
Together, they have made a series of short films. In the films, they explain in their own words how adults can better understand and support autistic children and young people.
This event is for parent carers, school staff and anyone who works with autistic children and young people. It is a chance to listen, learn and hear directly from autistic young people.
Conference highlights
The Autism Ambassadors chose the speakers for this conference. The programme includes neurodivergent speakers and a researcher who studies autism.
The speakers are:
- Jessica-Jane Applegate, Paralympic swimmer and World Champion
- Dr Julia Simner, Professor of Psychology at the University of Sussex
- Dave Higgins, Fire Officer at West Sussex County Council
- Cam Parfitt, Paramedic at South East Coast Ambulance Service
The autistic speakers will talk about their own experiences. They will share how recognising and using their strengths has helped them succeed. Dr Julia Simner will explain the science behind many autistic strengths.
What you will learn
You will:
- hear real experiences from autistic people
- learn why focusing on strengths can make a positive difference
- gain practical ideas to support learning, wellbeing and achievement
- join discussions about creating a more inclusive and understanding future for autistic children and young people
SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy and Partnership Board
The SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy and Partnership Board meets monthly to monitor the delivery of the SEND Strategy and the SEND improvement plan. It includes members from:
- education settings
- NHS
- West Sussex Parent Carer Forum
- West Sussex County Council
Minutes from this meeting can be found on the Tools for schools website.
Find out more about the SEND strategy and the SEND improvement plan.