Further SEND investments could be in the pipeline for Lancashire

Thousands more children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) could benefit from improved support closer to home if proposals to invest a further £23 million in specialist and inclusive education provision get the green light.

The ambitious proposals, which will be considered by cabinet on 3 September, are a vital part of the council's wider commitment to ensuring children and young people receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time, while creating a more sustainable SEND system for the future.

The £23m package is aimed at increasing specialist provision, strengthening SEND services in mainstream schools and nurseries and reducing the need for children to travel long distances to access SEND support.

The largest part of the package would fund the expansion of four specialist education settings across Lancashire, creating an additional 150 specialist places for children and young people with complex needs.

They include expansions at Pear Tree School in Kirkham, White Ash School in Oswaldtwistle and Mayfield School in Chorley, alongside a new post-19 specialist college provision at Sir Tom Finney Community High School in Preston.

The four expansions, given initial approval in February and strongly supported by parents, professionals and local communities in a rigorous consultation, would be funded through the council's High Needs Capital Programme and expected to be up and running from September 2028.

Meanwhile, an additional £4 million could be approved by councillors for a second round of funding to support schools, early years settings and colleges to make practical improvements to enable children and young people with SEND to remain in their local settings wherever appropriate. It could equate to £50,000 per setting, helping hundreds of schools and settings in Lancashire.

At the same time, councillors will also discuss another proposal which would speed up the creation of around 46 additional SEND projects, due to be unveiled later this year.

The whole investment  of £23m would be funded through Lancashire's High Needs Capital Grant allocation from the DfE.

It would build on a raft of improvements made in the last year, including a 23% increase in the number of children and young people getting support through an EHCP, a 76% reduction in the number of children waiting longer than 20 weeks for an assessment and a 75% increase in the SEND workforce.

An investment of more than £9 million in Educational Psychology support has taken place over the last year, with an investment of  £2 million to help mainstream schools support children with SEND through the Mainstream Inclusion Fund, along with the creation of hundreds of additional specialist school places across Lancashire.

County Councillor Matthew Salter, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said:

"Every child and young person deserves access to the support they need to thrive, and these proposals represent a significant investment in Lancashire's SEND provision.

"Demand for SEND support continues to grow, and we know how important it is for children and families to be able to access high-quality support close to home. By increasing specialist places and strengthening inclusion in mainstream settings, we can provide more options for families while ensuring children receive the support that best meets their needs.

"This investment will help us build on progress already being made to create a stronger, more sustainable system that delivers great outcomes for the children and young people of Lancashire, now and in the future."