July 14, 2020, LocalGov: Tackling our SEND challenge https://www.localgov.co.uk/Tackling-our-SEND-challenge/50769 …How we provide for children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) is a measure of how compassionate we are as a country and both the public and private sector are grappling with the challenge. Some 15% of the pupil population - around 1.3 million school age students in England - is classed as having a SEND requirement, and this cohort is growing fast. Since 2015, the number of children and young people granted an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP – a legal document stating a child’s legal entitlement to funding for further support for severe and complex educational needs), has risen by 33% to 320,000…. In 2019, the government announced an additional investment of £700m [$880M U.S.] into special needs education to ensure that children and young people are provided with the buildings and facilities that are right for them. Despite the improved investment, councils continue to face immense pressures in providing care and support and educational provision for children and young people with special needs and disabilities…. Our report calls for the formation of a collaborative knowledge sharing platform, where headteachers and organisations looking to commission new school buildings can share their experiences for others to learn from – creating an effective method of benchmarking, where examples of innovation and best practice can be explored and communicated within the SEND community…. We have a duty to ensure the built environment shapes and improves lives during, but also way beyond, the construction process. This is especially key when it comes to special education needs or disabilities (SEND) school design and delivery; we need to be working creatively and collaboratively to create places where individuals can truly thrive and fulfil their potential. This requires a level of trust that enables the candid conversations which will allow true innovation to take place, and start us on the journey to secure improved outcomes for every young person.
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