Parents take council to court in SEN funding row
Parents from Devon are taking Devon County Council to the High Court in a row over special educational needs (SEN) services and millions of pounds of funding.Devon was one of the councils that agreed a deal in March to get about £95m from the government to try to resolve a massive deficit due to overspending on SEN services.Two sets of unnamed parents from Devon are now arguing the deal involved the council agreeing to make cuts to SEN services without any consultation with families or examining the long-term implications for children.Since agreeing the deal, Devon County Council has repeatedly overspent on SEN services - by £15m in the first six months, with the figure continuing to increase. Devon County Council has been contacted with a request for comment.
The number of children in Devon with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) - a legal document that outlines a child's special educational needs - more than doubled in six years from just over 3,700 in January 2017 to 8,400 in January 2023.Watkins Solicitors are representing the families from Devon and a family from Bristol in the Judicial Review being heard at Bristol High Court.The legal firm said it was a "pivotal" case which marked a "critical moment for SEN families across the UK".Beverley Watkins, managing partner, said: "This case is about ensuring that the voices of parents and children with SEN are heard."Decisions that impact such critical areas of support must be made transparently and with a full understanding of their consequences."The Judicial Review is due to last two to three days and a judgement could be handed down at the end of the hearing or at a later date.
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