SEND group raises fears about Derby City Council's plans

A group that supports families with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has said it worries new council plans are a cost-saving exercise.

Derby City Council said it was developing a plan which would "transform provision".

Sunshine Support said an increase in school places was needed but aspects of the plan were "concerning".

The council said it was working to improve provision for young people.

The authority is due to discuss its plans for a Dedicated Schools' Grant (DSG) Management Plan, which it is producing in partnership with parents, schools and other stakeholders at a meeting on 14 June.

It said it planned to create additional special school places on mainstream sites across primary, secondary and post-16 settings and add capacity to existing special schools.

It added support would also be provided to help children transition into mainstream education where appropriate.

The council said locally and nationally, the SEND system was experiencing increasing demand and was under significant pressure as the cost of provision outstrips funding provided by the government.

Sarah Sage, an independent advocate and caseworker at Sunshine Support, said: "We welcome genuine efforts to improve support and education access for children and young people with SEND and an increase in special school places is greatly needed.

"I do worry that this is another cost-saving exercise dressed up to look like progress and support, so it will be interesting to see how this plan is implemented.

"It's also concerning to see they are looking to 'transition children into mainstream education'.

"I would be interested to see more detail on this plan and how they propose this will be beneficial to children who have already been placed into specialist settings as mainstream was not considered suitable."

In March, families challenged the council over its plans to review its travel assistance policy for eligible children aged between five and 16.

Sunshine Support said the council had now made its eligibility criteria for the scheme much broader than was initially proposed, which came as a "welcome relief" to families.

John Whitby, the council's cabinet member for children's social care, learning and skills, said: "The council has been working to help improve provision for children and young people with SEND for some time and significant progress has already been made.

"The DSG management plan aims to bring expenditure back in line with forecasted budgets while securing quality outcomes for children and young people with SEND, ensuring they are able to live their best life."

The council said it was aiming to provide a range of options and settings to enable each child.

"We believe the chance to attend schools in their local area with their local peers is an option that should be available and has proven to provide great outcomes for both SEND and non-SEND children and young people," it said, in a statement.

"We're committed to continuing an open dialogue with all SEND children, young people, parents, carers and professionals."

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