Local Government East (LGE) and the Eastern Region Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) have jointly responded (on 18 May) to the Department for Education’s long-anticipated consultation on SEND reform.
LGE and the Eastern Region ADCS welcome many of the ambitious measures set out in the Schools White Paper. They are encouraged that Government has recognised the current system is not working for too many children and families and is not financially sustainable for councils.
The proposed £1.8 billion investment over the next three years to fund a new ‘Experts at Hand’ offer presents a valuable opportunity to strengthen specialist education and health support. However, concerns remain about significant NHS waiting lists for assessments and insufficient capacity across key professions, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and educational psychology, particularly in the East of England.
Demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and specialist provision continues to rise across the region, placing ongoing pressure on both workforce and funding.
While LGE and ADCS welcome the recent announcement that 90 per cent of councils’ historic Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficits up to March 2026 will be written off, the requirement for Local SEND Reform Plans to unlock this funding is creating immediate resource challenges. These pressures are compounded by ongoing changes to Integrated Care Boards and local government reorganisation across the region.
In their consultation response, they have urged Government to go further and commit to writing off all DSG deficits ahead of the statutory override ending in March 2028.
Additional funding for councils will also be essential to meet increasing demand for home-to-school transport for children with SEND in the short to medium term.
Cllr Richard Siddall, Local Government East Lead Member for Health and Wellbeing said “This much-needed transformation to improve education outcomes and life chances for children and young people with SEND will depend on improved workforce expertise and capacity, clearer accountability, sufficient funding and realistic timelines.”
Both parties support the vision that every child and young person should have access to a high-quality, inclusive education that meets their needs in their local community. They see the focus on stronger local collaboration between schools, families, councils and the NHS as a positive step forward.
LGE and the Eastern Region ADCS are committed to working with the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure both short-term stability and long-term sustainability of the SEND system in the East of England.
The full response can be viewed here