Latest news with #SafetyValve
BBC News
10-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Parents lose SEND High Court challenge
Parents who said their councils had illegally reduced services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have lost their High Court claim was brought against Devon County Council and Bristol City Council's involvement in multimillion-pound rescue packages from the government - known as Safety Valve claimed the deal involved the councils agreeing to make cuts to SEND services without any consultation with families or examining the long-term implications for National Audit Office warned in October that two-fifths of councils could be at risk of declaring bankruptcy by March 2026 because they were overspending on their high-needs budgets. Steadily rising In March 2024, the previous government agreed a bailout of £53.7m for Bristol City Council and £95m for Devon County Valve agreements are currently in place for 38 local authorities across the country in a bid to control high levels of case was heard over three days at the High Court in Bristol in January. The number of children with SEND has been steadily rising and is currently at about 1.6m.
BBC News
18-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
SEND unit approved for Radstock Primary School
A new specialist unit for autistic children will be built at a primary school after planning permission was facility at Radstock Primary School in Lower Earley, Berkshire, for children aged four to 11, will have three classrooms, two sensory rooms and two meeting forms a key part of Wokingham Borough Council's enhancement of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision within the part of the government's Safety Valve scheme, the authority must reduce its overspend on SEND in return for two specialist schools and two specialist units, within existing schools. The unit will serve 21 children with specialist needs and will eventually have 10 members of will take three pupils per year, reaching full capacity by 2028. Six children with SEND were already placed at Radstock in local residents raised various issues with the plans and the impact it would have on neighbouring properties.A town councillor warned the expansion of the school could worsen parking in the Smith, of Earley Town Council, said it had "no objection" to the building but had some issues with parking provision. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judicial review begins over special needs bailout
A judicial review in the High Court case has begun over a government bailout of £54m for special needs education funding in Bristol. Last year, Bristol City Council entered into a deal with the Department for Education to receive extra money to help pay off a financial deficit caused by an increase in demand for special educational needs provision, or SEND. As part of the agreement, known as a Safety Valve, the council agreed to reign in its spending, which parents feared would lead to less support for their children. Bristol City Council said it would not comment on the case while proceedings were ongoing. In the last few years, there has been a large increase in the number of children designated as having special educational needs in Bristol. This has led to spiralling costs, as the council has struggled to find suitable school places for children with education, health and care plans (EHCP), which it is legally obliged to provide. Thirty seven other councils around the country have entered into Safety Valve deals with the Department for Education. Bristol City Council stands to get £54m over seven years, but this equates to a 25% cut in its spending on SEND. The council was previously found to have broken the law by a judge in 2018, who ruled that cuts to its SEND budget then were illegal. The case has been brought by Watkins Solicitors, who are representing a family from Bristol. Managing partner of Watkins, Beverly Watkins, told the BBC: "It is so difficult, many of these parents had to give up work, they're looking after kids 24-hours-a-day. "They don't want a golden ticket or special treatment, all they want is appropriate provision to meet the needs of their children. "There is a chronic shortage of special schools and the idea that you can simply place the kids in mainstream schools is not a good one and will not work." SEND campaigner Jen Smith said: "Bristol has a really long history of not getting this right. "We're all very concerned because it will affect children now and in the future, the impact could be devastating," she added. A judgement in the case is expected later this year. Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Council to receive £53m bailout for SEND services Council's SEND bailout plan criticised by charity Council admits SEND children not having needs met HM Courts and Tribunals Service
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Bristol: Judicial review begins over special needs bailout
A judicial review in the High Court case has begun over a government bailout of £54m for special needs education funding in Bristol. Last year, Bristol City Council entered into a deal with the Department for Education to receive extra money to help pay off a financial deficit caused by an increase in demand for special educational needs provision, or SEND. As part of the agreement, known as a Safety Valve, the council agreed to reign in its spending, which parents feared would lead to less support for their City Council said it would not comment on the case while proceedings were ongoing. In the last few years, there has been a large increase in the number of children designated as having special educational needs in has led to spiralling costs, as the council has struggled to find suitable school places for children with education, health and care plans (EHCP), which it is legally obliged to seven other councils around the country have entered into Safety Valve deals with the Department for City Council stands to get £54m over seven years, but this equates to a 25% cut in its spending on council was previously found to have broken the law by a judge in 2018, who ruled that cuts to its SEND budget then were illegal. 'Golden ticket' The case has been brought by Watkins Solicitors, who are representing a family from partner of Watkins, Beverly Watkins, told the BBC: "It is so difficult, many of these parents had to give up work, they're looking after kids 24-hours-a-day. "They don't want a golden ticket or special treatment, all they want is appropriate provision to meet the needs of their children. "There is a chronic shortage of special schools and the idea that you can simply place the kids in mainstream schools is not a good one and will not work."SEND campaigner Jen Smith said: "Bristol has a really long history of not getting this right."We're all very concerned because it will affect children now and in the future, the impact could be devastating," she added.A judgement in the case is expected later this year.
