Mar 21, 2023, Star: Barnsley’s £22m [$27M] “safety valve” plan to address funding black hole for youngsters with special educational needs https://www.thestar.co.uk/education/barnsleys-ps22m-safety-valve-plan-to-address-funding-black-hole-for-youngsters-with-special-educational-needs-4073184
Central England
Barnsley Council is set to enter into a £22m [$27M] ‘safety valve’ agreement with the Department for Education (DfE), to resolve a funding defecit in its special educational needs provision.
The council, along with many other local authorities across the UK, faces a funding deficit due to the growth in demand for special educational needs (SEN) provision exceeding the government funding provided over the last eight years.
Councillor Trevor Cave, cabinet spokesperson for children’s services at BMBC said: “In order to achieve our ambitions set out in Barnsley’s SEND Strategy it is important that we have sufficient funding from the government to achieve this.
Barnsley Council is set to enter into a £22m ‘safety valve’ agreement with the Department for Education (DfE), to resolve a funding defecit in its special educational needs provision.
“The 2014 SEND reforms increased the age range eligibility up to 25 years old, and across the country, councils have seen large deficits build up as the number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) increased but without the increase in funding to match this.
“The high needs funding deficit has been a significant financial challenge for us. We welcome this opportunity to work with DfE on the Safety Valve programme to reduce the impact on the council and allow us to move to a more sustainable position….
