(UK) Surrey: Council approves $35M for SPED "amid a rising need"; $10.7 for ASD students
Surrey County Council has approved a £26.7 million [$35M] funding package to enhance SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) provision amid a rising need for specialist educational support.
The funding, received through central government grants, will be used to create hundreds of new specialist places for children across East and West Surrey.
Deputy education lead Councillor Clare Curran emphasised the challenge, explaining that since 2019, the number of education, health, and care plans in Surrey has more than doubled, rising from around 9,500 to approximately 20,000.
Of the total funding, £8.1 million [$10.7M] is earmarked for creating places to support children with complex autism spectrum conditions in West Surrey.
The remaining £18.8 million will be distributed across both West and East Surrey, divided 55 percent to West Surrey and 45 percent to East Surrey.
Councillor Curran highlighted that there is still a significant unmet demand for SEND services particularly during key transition periods.
She stressed the importance of expanding specialist capacity to ensure children can access high-quality provision closer to home, while acknowledging the continued need for placements in unmaintained and independent settings.
The newly approved funding aims to deliver 399 new places and make 54 temporary places permanent, subject to consultation. . . .
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