Children with special needs being 'let down' by Oxfordshire County Council

Children with special needs and their families are being "let down" by a council's services, the councillor in charge of them has said.

Liz Brighouse, Oxfordshire County Council's (OCC) deputy leader, said the trigger for families' dissatisfaction is a lack of funding from government.

Parents protested outside the authority's headquarters ahead of a meeting on Tuesday.

The Department for Education said funding is already at record levels.

One parent, Olivia Johnson, told councillors there had been a "complete breakdown" between the council and families of children who are receiving support.

"Families are fed up of being ghosted while our children are abandoned by OCC without adequate care or support. The content of [care plans] are inadequate, [and] don't reflect the child's needs," she said.

Councillor Brighouse, who is also cabinet member for children, education and young people's services, said: "I think these families and children are being let down. Over the last few years the [special needs] budget has gone more and more into deficit.

"We've got a high needs block that was £20m in deficit. It looks like that by March it's going to be about £47m in deficit. That's money that we haven't got, that's money that the government hasn't paid us.

"The whole thing is really quite dysfunctional and it's not just in Oxfordshire, it's across the country," she said.

"I do really agree that we need to get a bit better at talking to parents about what we are facing. It won't necessarily change what we are able to provide for them."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We have increased high needs funding to a record £9.1bn overall this year to help councils with their costs and will continue to work with them in targeted ways, offering direct support and intervention where necessary, so all families can feel supported."

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