SEND News and Reforms
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Earlier this week the government announced support to transform education and opportunities for the most disadvantaged children and young people, including those with SEND.
Package to transform education and opportunities for the most disadvantaged
' On 1 February, the government announced a package to level up education and opportunities. In particular, we wanted to outline what this offer means for children and young people with SEND.
New funding for respite and Supported Internships will come alongside more than £45 million of continued targeted support for families and parents of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). These programmes will:
· target support to improve monitoring, support and intervention for local authorities and local health and care partners’ delivery of statutory SEND services, with a focus on underperforming areas and sharing best practice
· improve participation and access for parents and young people for high quality advice and support; and
· directly support schools and colleges to effectively work with pupils with SEND, for example through training on specific needs like autism.
You can read the full press notice here:
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
As communicated in the SEND Newsflash on 7 December, the DfE has funded 1,000 air cleaning units for SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) settings, including SEND units in mainstream settings. These are for poorly ventilated teaching spaces and staff rooms where quick fixes to improve ventilation are not possible.
On 2 January, an additional 7,000 units were announced for poorly ventilated teaching spaces in state-funded state funded schools (primary and secondary), FE colleges and early years settings.
SEND settings that were not successful or did not apply in the first round in November are eligible to apply in this round.
Settings can apply for funded units via the online form below, with applications open until 9am on 17 January:
Application form for DfE-funded air cleaning units
For settings those settings that are not eligible for funded units, the online marketplace provides a route to purchasing air cleaning units directly from suppliers at a suitable specification and competitive price.
Should you have any queries about the application process or eligibility criteria for a DfE-funded air cleaning unit, please see the ‘How to’ Apply for a DfE-funded air cleaning unit guidance or contact the DfE coronavirus helpline on 0800 046 8687.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday on the implementation of Plan B of the Covid - 19 response: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-autumn-and-winter-plan-2021Special schools and other specialist settings: coronavirus (COVID-19 guidance). The government is clear on the critical importance of not disrupting the education of children and young people and the government will prioritise keeping all education and childcare settings open. The measures will support this.
The main updates are:
· updated advice on supporting vulnerable children and young people who are self-isolating
· updated advice on tracing close contacts and isolation to reflect the forthcoming change to isolation rules
· updated asymptomatic testing section reflecting that you should encourage visitors to test before coming to your setting
· updated to reflect the latest language on children who were previously considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable
· additional section on mandatory vaccine certification
· updated workforce section to reflect the latest language on adults who were previously considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable and to reflect the Government recommendation to work from home if you can
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
In light of the new Omicron variant, yesterday DfE SEND division updated the Special schools and other specialist settings: coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Will Quince MP, Minister for Children and Families, has written an open letter to parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their families and those who support them.
In the letter, the Minister reaffirms his commitment to delivering the SEND Review and the importance of supporting the most disadvantaged children and young people. He outlines his plans to continue to visit schools, nurseries and colleges around the country to directly hear first-hand from children, young people, parents and carers, school, college and local authority staff as well as meet with SEND organisations and experts so they can influence proposals.
To read the letter in full, visit: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2021/11/10/an-open-letter-to-parents-and-carers-of-children-and-young-people-with-special-educational-needs-and-disabilities-from-children-and-families-minister-will-quince/
Alongside the letter, the Department for Education has published information about the members of the SEND Review Steering Group. The new group was set up to assist the department conclude the SEND Review at pace and advise on proposals to be set out in a SEND Green Paper to be published in the first three months of 2022.
For further information on the group, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/send-review-steering-group
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Details of this steering group, which brings together government departments with representatives for parents, schools, colleges and early years, local government, health and care and independent experts to advise and help conclude the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Review can be found through this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/send-review-steering-group
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
DfE SEND division published the following newsflash on 16 Sepetmber:
'We know that COVID-19 has impacted on services and as a result many specialist services have adjusted their delivery models during their recovery. We have worked with education and health partners, including the Royal Colleges and the Association of Educational Psychologists, Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, Association of Colleges, the National Sensory Impairment Partnership, the National Network of Parent Carer Forums and the Council for Disabled Children, to develop this guidance which sets out the expectations for the delivery of specialist support for children and young people.
We are clear that education settings should welcome all specialist staff and facilitate their work with children and young people. This guidance aims to address any misconceptions around what should be delivered and to provide clarity in three broad areas: ensuring full access to provision; what safety precautions should be considered; and the importance of working with families and carers.'
Please find a link to the document on the CDC website here: https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/about-cdc/media-centre/news-opinion/delivery-specialist-11-and-group-interventions-children-and
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
On 20 July 2021, DfE SEND division confirmed that they would be continuing the extended powers given to the SEND Tribunal to hear appeals and make non-binding recommendations about health and social care aspects of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, provided those appeals also include education elements. These extended powers were being tested under a National Trial, which ended on 31 August 2021.
The guidance has now been updated https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/extended-powers-send-tribunal-national-trial ‘SEND tribunal: single route of redress national trial’ to remove references to the National Trial and explain that the extended powers will continue, providing details on how appeals which include health and social care aspects (now known as extended appeals) work.
This guidance is intended for all local authorities, health commissioning bodies and parents and young people in England.
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