SEND News and Reforms
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
On Saturday 4 March, Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families, Edward Timpson, announced a £215m capital funding boost designed to transform the lives of thousands of children with special educational needs and disabilities by increasing school capacity and making it easier for them to access good school places.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
The Department for Education have updated the statutory framework for early years provision
The main change is to relax some of the proposed requirements for staff to hold level 3 qualifications in English and Maths.
The Pre-School Learning Alliance have done a very helpful before/after for those interested in the detail:
https://www.pre-school.org.uk/sites/default/files/summary_of_eyfs_framework_changes_2017.pdf
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
On 21st February 2017 the government published guidance about the entitlement for students, aged 19 to 25yrs, to EHC Plans
- Written by: Steve J
The January 2017 edition of the 0-25 SEND Newsletter, produced by the Department for Education can be downloaded pdf here
- Written by: Sarah Bailey - UK Vision Strategy
The UK Vision Strategy Leadership Group has published its report Shaping the Future, following a six month evaluation and consultation project in the eye health and sight loss sectors.
The report includes:
- Views on the progress made towards the UK Vision Strategy Outcomes 2013-2018
- The country context: the key challenges and successes of the Strategy specific to England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
- Recommendations to shape future collaborative work, including both what future work could focus on and how it could be delivered.
The VK Vision Strategy Group is chaired by Fazilet Hadi, Director of Engagement at RNIB. More information about the group can be found here.
The report itself is available at http://www.ukvisionstrategy.org.uk/sites/default/files/Shaping%20the%20Future%20Report_APDF.pdf?utm_campaign=7927484_Shaping%20the%20Future%20report%20release
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Yesterday, 10th January 2017, the Government announced further funding to support implementation of the SEND reforms.
This relates to Parent Carer Forums and Independent Supporters.
The details are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-for-special-educational-needs-support-confirmed
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Today the Department for Education has published seven Invitations to Tender for contracts to support special educational needs (SEN) and disability in 2017-18.
The seven contracts will provide total funding of up to £4,812,000 in 2017-18. They are open to voluntary and community sector organisations, social enterprises and others bidding on a not-for-profit basis.
Information can be found on the Contracts Finder website (https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search).
The Invitations to Tender cover:
- Contract to improve access to employment for young people with special educational needs and disabilities
- Contract to improve support and inclusion of children and young people with autism
- Support for children and young people with additional needs in speech, language and communication skills
- Contract to provide delivery support to local areas in embedding reforms to services for children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities
- Contract to provide professional policy advice to the Department for Education on implementation of the special educational needs and disability (SEND) reforms
- Support for children and young people with physical disabilities
- Contract to provide strategic support to the Department for Education in embedding reforms to the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system
Proposals should be submitted to the Department by 10am on Monday 30 January 2017.
Questions about the process can be submitted until 9 January 2017 to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Answers to all questions will be available on Contracts Finder by 16 January 2017.
- Written by: Brian Gale
DSG (Dedicated Schools Grant) announcement
The 2017 to 2018 dedicated schools grant (DSG) allocations have been issued today.
High Needs/SEND
The 2017 to 2018 DSG allocations are based on the 2017 to 2018 funding tables published in July 2016 which set out local authority baselines, adjusted to reflect recent spending patterns and the transfer of £125m from the post-16 budget to the high needs block for high needs places in further education institutions. In addition, an uplift to the high needs block of £130m (2.28%) is being made available across local authorities. The high needs uplift is distributed on the following basis:
- £95.3m allocated across authorities on the basis of 2-18 year old population
- £34.7m by growth in the 2 to 18 population between 2016-17 and 2017-18 in each local authority based on the latest population projections
Edward Timpson, Minister for vulnerable children and families, wrote to local authorities on 20 December (see his letter pdf here ) confirming special educational needs and disability (SEND) implementation grant (new burdens) funding of £40m for 2017 to 2018, an increase of £4.2m on 2016 to 2017. (See the grant determination letter pdf here ).The funding is to continue to support transition to the new system for SEND and to support local authorities to make effective plans for this important final year of the transition.
The government has also allocated a High Needs Strategic Planning Grant totalling £23million to LAs, to enable them to carry out strategic reviews of high needs provision. Further information and guidance on how to carry out this review and planning work, and on implementing the plans, are contained in chapter 4 of the high needs national funding formula consultation document.
Early in 2017, the Department for Education (DfE) will also announce money for wider support, including independent supporters and parent carer forums.
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