(UK) Barking/Dagenham Council secures $3M for SPED "growing demand"
Queen Mary University of London’s SHAPE Health Institute, in partnership with Barking and Dagenham Council, have secured nearly £2.3 million [$3M] in special education needs and disabilities funding.
The new funding, secured through the government’s Experts at Hand programme, will bring vital resources to a borough facing high levels of complex need. The programme will provide additional support and specialist expertise in mainstream settings for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities across Barking and Dagenham.
Securing this funding marks a significant milestone for SHAPE Health and the Council, given the highly competitive nature of the £1.8 billion Experts at Hand programme and its rigorous process.
Since late 2025, SHAPE Health has been working alongside the council to better understand the experiences of local communities. This includes the Becontree primary school research project established by SHAPE Health, Nurturing Every Child, whose findings played a significant role in shaping the successful funding proposal. Parents, teachers and school staff took part in workshops that shaped what the research looked at.
Drawing on local evidence, lived experiences and partnerships, SHAPE Health’s work highlights the complexity of SEND in the borough by articulating the challenges faced by children, young people, and their families alongside schools and the Council.
The funding will help address growing demand for specialist SEND support, as the Council, working in partnership with schools, moves towards expanding specialist and expert SEND support in mainstream settings across the borough. . . .
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