Staffordshire special schools sleepover funding reprieve

Lachlan Kirkup has "flourished" in the residential care setting at Horton Lodge, his mother says

Residential care for children with special needs and disabilities in Staffordshire is to continue for "several years", the council has said.

Staffordshire County Council had planned to stop funding the £1.8m non-statutory overnight stays for children at five schools from September.

But the authority now says it will maintain the service as it reviews its wider special needs strategy.

One mother, Ali Brown, said the reprieve was "really good news".

About 209 children stay through the week at Horton Lodge Community Special School in Rudyard; Cicely Haughton in Wetley Rocks; Walton Hall Academy in Eccleshall; Saxon Hill Academy in Lichfield; and at Loxley Hall in Uttoxeter.

Lachlan has learned to feed himself since staying over at his school, says mum Ali Brown

Ms Brown said her son Lachlan, 8, who sleeps at Horton Lodge's "Kiplings" unit one night a week, was really pleased when he heard.

"It shows us how important people realise residential is. It just means he can carry on having that extra stimulation and independence," she said.

The overnight accommodation at Loxley Hall is housed in a separate block

It is not clear how long the planned review will take, but schools say it has been indicated it could last two to three years.

At least 5,000 people had earlier signed a petition calling on the authority not to withdraw the funding from the schools.

Mark Sutton, from Staffordshire County Council, said residential care would be reviewed as part an improved strategy for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

"Funding provision for special schools is complex, comes from central government and implementing change is inevitably a long process to allow schools to plan ahead. That may take several years," said Mr Sutton.