Over 5000 children receiving SEND support from Cumberland Council
That's 13.8 per cent of the total headcount
More than 5000 children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are getting support from Cumberland Council according to a new report.
Members of the council’s health and wellbeing board will get an update on SEND provision in north and west Cumbria at the Copeland Centre in Whitehaven on Friday, December 12.
The report states: “Improvement of SEND services and the development of specialist provision across the local area continues to be a priority for all partners. The focus for improvement is set out in the SEND and alternative provision strategy.”
It provides updates on several areas related to SEND including: the current position; the Ofsted/CQC Cumberland Local Area SEND Inspection action plan; SEND partnership governance; and development of specialist places – SEND sufficiency strategy.
It is recommended that the board reviews the contents of the report and notes the updates on progress.
According to the report the current position is that 5536 children, 13.8 per cent of the total headcount, are getting support from the council.
This is compared with 14.4 per cent for the north-west of England and 14.2 per cent for the whole country.
According to the report the SEND service priorities include:
- to strengthen data intelligence capabilities to enable proactive decision-making, service planning, and performance monitoring across SEND and alternative provision (AP);
- to align staffing models to meet current and projected demand, ensuring capacity to deliver high-quality, timely support for children and young people with SEND;
- to undertake a comprehensive review of inclusive provision across SEND services and wider educational settings, identifying opportunities to enhance early intervention and reduce reliance on statutory pathways such as EHCPs;
- to further develop and embed robust quality assurance frameworks for AP, ensuring consistency, accountability, and a strong focus on outcomes;
- to promote a culture of belonging and inclusion within settings, ensuring that all children and young people feel valued, supported, and connected to their community and are educated locally.
And the areas of challenge include: policy uncertainty and strategic planning; developing inclusive services; cultural change across stakeholders; high needs funding and DSG deficit.