(UK) Mothers take Bristol to court over SPED cuts; court rules for disabled kids

Aug 6, 2018, Independent: Council ordered to reverse special needs cuts in landmark High Court case https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/bristol-city-council-special-needs-cuts-high-court-disabilities-budget-austerity-a8479356.html Three mothers of children with special educational needs have won a landmark case after taking a council to the High Court over budget cuts. The women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, challenged Bristol City Council over £5m cuts to the Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) budget. The High Court ordered the council to reverse the cuts, with Judge Barry Cotter QC telling the local authority that it had acted unlawfully and there was no need for a reduction. Judge Cotter said the council had “no regard” for children’s welfare and was only interested in balancing the books. … It is the first such case in the country. Councillor Craig Cheney, deputy mayor for finance, said the council was disappointed at the decision and would decide what to do next…. “The large pressure on our SEND budget is due to the increasing demand and complexity of children and young people’s needs, but mostly because we do not get enough money from government in this area.” Speaking before the decision was made, one of the mothers said her child had been excluded to the point he was attending school just a handful of days a term because of a lack of support.