Published on Tuesday 28 June 2022
Parents, carers and schools will play a vital role in the continued revitalisation of BCP Council’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services over the next month.
All mainstream schools receive money for special education needs support and resources and decide how this is spent. Top up funding is sometimes paid by the council to help supplement existing provision within schools and is determined by an Education Health and Care needs assessment (EHCP).
From today (Tuesday 28 June 2022) families requiring SEND support are asked to contribute their views during a month-long online consultation on proposed changes to the way this top-up funding for children and young people with SEND in mainstream schools is distributed.
This is part of BCP Council’s commitment to work in partnership to radically improve this support and determine how top-up funding can better meet the needs of those pupils who require a little more help in their mainstream schools.
Councillor Nicola Greene, BCP Council's portfolio holder for education, said: "Our aspiration is that the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area remains an inclusive place for children and young people with SEND to learn and thrive.
"The crucial need to make improvements in our provision has been highlighted to us by families themselves and it is important that this aspect of our SEND improvement journey is shaped by the people who use it.
"I encourage any parents, carers or schools with an interest in the outcomes of these proposed funding changes to have their say."
The current consultation recommends adjustments to the descriptors (or funding values) used for children and young people with an EHCP and asks people to consider if these suggestions will better meet needs.
The results of the consultation will inform any final decisions made about SEND mainstream school banding. Proposals will be presented to Cabinet for consideration this autumn, following discussions by the BCP Schools Forum.
If the proposals are approved, the new banding scheme will be implemented in the academic year 22/23.
The consultation runs from Tuesday 28 June to 11.59pm on Wednesday 27 July.
Residents can take part in the consultation here: haveyoursay.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/sendconsultation