On Wednesday 27 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak announced a ring-fenced £2.6 billion funding in the Budget and Spending Review to create more than 30,000 special school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities. This is in addition to the £500 million package of spending on children and families announced on Friday 22 October by HM Treasury.
Key announcements include:
- £2.6 billion to create more than 30,000 special school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
- £82 million investment into a network of family hubs across England to provide advice and support to families.
- £200 million for the Supporting Families programme to support 300,000 families who face complex issues that could lead to family breakdown.
- Funding for some elements of the ‘best start for life’ vision which offers help and advice from the NHS during pregnancy, birth and parenthood.
The last three of which had appeared as recommendations in the National Children’s Bureau’s Build Back Childhood campaign which you can read here.
You can read the statement on the budget and spending review from the National Children’s Bureau here.
Dame Christine Lenehan, Director of the Council for Disabled Children, said:
“We welcome the fact that the Chancellor has recognised the needs of children with SEND in the budget. However, the creation of additional special school places will not solve the challenges children and families face. We need commitments across health and care which recognises the current gaps in services and education developments which start with mainstream schools”.