Plan to improve support for Oxfordshire children with SEND approved by government
More specialist support for children with special educational needs and disabilities is set to be provided in schools
Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Oxfordshire are set to receive more specialist support after the government approved the county’s reform plan.
Oxfordshire County Council says the plans will include recruiting more educational psychologists and therapists, creating inclusion support bases in mainstream schools and providing more support closer to families.
The council submitted its response to the government’s national reforms for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to the Department for Education in June.
It followed the publication of the schools white paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving and the SEND consultation Putting Children and Young People First.
Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “Every child deserves an opportunity to thrive, and our plan sets out how we will deliver even better support for children and young people with SEND in their schools and closer to their homes."
The reform programme is being backed by £4.9 million of central government funding to support the council and its partner organisations in delivering the changes over the next three years.
Government approval also means Oxfordshire will receive a high needs stability grant, which the council says will significantly reduce the existing deficit in its dedicated schools grant.
The council says almost every local authority in England is facing growing financial pressure over SEND provision, with the cost of providing support exceeding the funding available.
Contributing factors include increased demand for education, health and care plans (EHCPs) and insufficient capacity in mainstream and state special schools, resulting in greater reliance on more expensive independent and specialist placements.
SEND services in Oxfordshire are delivered through a local area partnership involving Oxfordshire County Council, NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Oxfordshire Parent Carer Forum.