Council 'may need to double additional SEND spend'

The authority is committed to clearing a backlog of assessments

A council may need to find double the amount of additional cash it is currently investing to clear a backlog of assessments for children who may have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Lancashire County Council has announced plans to spend an extra £5.3m on processing cases awaiting consideration by educational psychologists. At the end of July there were 1,850.

Their recommendations will be key to determining whether the children receive an education, health and care plan (EHCP).

In a report published in February, Ofsted highlighted "unacceptable" delays.

'Vital service'

EHCPs set out what assistance a child – or young adult up to the age of 25 – is legally entitled to in order to ensure they can access suitable education.

The county council says its additional investment will help complete 3,600 educational psychology assessments, which it is estimated will generate more than 2,200 EHCPs.

On that basis, it is forecast the SEND bill could increase by £10m, half of which will be due to more children being entitled to home-to-school transport.

The same amount would likely be required to cover borrowing costs to fund other support for young people with an EHCP.

Cabinet member for education and skills Matthew Salter said the Reform UK-run authority was "showing our commitment to children with SEND".

However, cabinet member for resources, Ged Mirfin, warned that the government was "not giving us the necessary resources to fund delivery of this vital service".

Over the past five years, Lancashire County Council has delivered nearly 350 SEND places in new specialist units within mainstream schools.

One of the aims of that programme is to reduce the distances children have to travel.

The home-to-school transport budget for the county council has been set at £61m for the current financial year.

It is currently forecast to be £3.9m higher as a result of ever-increasing demand.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.