{"id":6441,"date":"2024-03-21T17:03:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-21T17:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/education-and-families\/?p=6441"},"modified":"2024-10-14T11:56:52","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T10:56:52","slug":"government-cash-support-for-devons-special-needs-education-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/government-cash-support-for-devons-special-needs-education-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Government cash support for Devon\u2019s special needs education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We’ve signed an agreement with the Government which will see an extra \u00a395 million of national funds set aside to reduce our deficit on special needs education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do we need the extra money?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our cumulative spending on education for children with special needs and disabilities (SEND) over the past 10 years is set to create a deficit (the gap between the budget allocated and the budget spent) of \u00a3163 million by the end of this financial year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve set aside \u00a310 million this year to help reduce it, and in common with councils across the country, we’ve been negotiating with the Government for extra funding for special needs education under the so-called Safety Valve programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does the agreement involve?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The new agreement will see the Government contribute an extra \u00a338 million by the end of March with the remaining cash being spread out over the following eight years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will contribute a further \u00a35 million a year from our revenue budget and \u00a320 million from our reserves to bring the deficit back into balance by the end of the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does this mean for special needs education in Devon?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is all about improving the outcomes and experiences of our children and young people. It is no secret that the councils with the best outcomes are very often the most cost effective too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a significant opportunity for us as it ensures services are delivered within the annual ring-fenced grant and provides the framework for service improvement, as well as putting us back onto a sustainable financial footing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We now need to work increasingly closely with our partners in schools and the NHS as teamwork is so integral to this agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are we doing to improve services for children and families with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Devon?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our SEND Transformation Programme is already well underway, and this latest agreement with the Government for additional financial support is part of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The action plan we have agreed as part of this deal includes many of the key improvement areas already in our overall strategy improve the experiences of children and young people with SEND and their families with the education, health and care systems within Devon. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n