(UK) Suffolk to add 100 more SPED places; 'there is also a backlog with ECHP's'
- The end of childhood
- Aug 31, 2025
- 2 min read
Aug 31, 2025, Ipswich Star: More than 100 SEND spaces welcomed by county councilor
SE England
The approval of 100 new spaces for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Suffolk has been welcomed by a councillor.
This week, the Government revealed that 100 new places for SEND provisions in Suffolk has been approved, which was described by Suffolk county councillor Sam Murray as "only a good thing".
A number of trusts applied for changes to their SEND provision in June, with 113 new places approved as well as the opening of a satellite site.
Suffolk county councillor Sam Murray, who has supported parents of SEND children in their fight for better provisions, said: "It can only be a good thing and its a really positive step forward.
"It's a really good start but we can't keep our foot off the pedal in regards to placements.
"We need to make sure that the placements are in the right locations so that kids aren't having to travel across the county.
"There is also a backlog with ECHP's so now that we have the places, we need to make sure that we can get the children into the places they need".
The news will come as a relief to parents of SEND children who took to the steps of Suffolk County Council to protest against "the broken system".
Last month, SCC were ordered to pay thousands of pounds to a Suffolk family after a report from the Social Care Ombudsman found that the council had made a serious of failures,
including not reviewing the child's ECHP after the family moved to Suffolk, failing to provide education for the child from September until December and failing to update the EHCP.
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