Call For More ‘Local’ School Places For Children With Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
Written by HFM News on 10th February 2023
A campaigner is calling for more local school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
It comes after it was revealed that last year Leicestershire County Council spent £13m to transport youngsters by private taxi to their nearest suitable school, nearly three times the spend five years ago.
The council say nearly a thousand more children now need transport and the spend is below that other similar authorities.
But Zuffar Haq, who campaigns on behalf of families,, thinks more needs to be done:
A protest was held last year calling for more school places for special needs children
Pic: Zuffar Haq
The county council say since 2018, it has invested more than £30m to create more than 560 specialist places in Leicestershire schools, which has included expanding special schools, building units attached to mainstream schools, opening new special schools and expanding our specialist nurseries.
Councillor Deborah Taylor, county council cabinet member for children and families, said: “There are a number of reasons why we have seen an increase in transport costs for our pupils for special educational needs and disabilities.
“These include an increase in the number of children who need to access SEND provision in the county, rising costs for things like fuel and driver wages and an increase in the complexity of need, for example pupils needing special vehicles to accommodate wheelchairs, and the associated costs for this.
“These challenges and increasing costs are not unique to Leicestershire, which is performing well against other comparable authorities.
“We are committed to supporting children in the most inclusive setting to meet their needs and if we can support them in a mainstream school or setting that is near their home, and their parents or carers are happy with this, we will.
“Not only does this reduce transport costs to specialist settings that may be a distance away, but it means that the child can be educated alongside their peers.”
