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Original poster

Reform councils to cut SEN spending

491 replies

LookingForRecommendation · 03/05/2025 17:39

.. according to the Lib Dem’s. Can they even do this? My DC isn’t SEN but her class has 5 TAs mainly as 121s and I dread what would happen if their funding is removed. Our council isn’t Reform led but they’re pretty neck on neck in no overall control.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/apr/24/ed-miliband-energy-pricing-keir-starmer-nigel-farage-latest-live-uk-politics-news

UK politics: Reform will axe councils’ special needs funding if they win in local elections, Lib Dems claim – as it happened

Party’s education spokesperson says Farage’s comments about doctors over-diagnosing children shows he wants to cut spending

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/apr/24/ed-miliband-energy-pricing-keir-starmer-nigel-farage-latest-live-uk-politics-news

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PickAChew · 04/05/2025 21:43

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That does not make your comment any better. You have said that these children are not worth investing anything in. There is no excusing that.

Teanbiscuits33 · 04/05/2025 21:37

That’s the problem. People can vote whilst being so wildly misinformed. It’s a shame people form opinions and base their votes on things they know very little about, especially at a time when, arguably, it’s never been easier to inform yourself. But such is life

OneDeepReader · 04/05/2025 21:36

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Sendcrisis2025 · 04/05/2025 21:34

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Maybe next time don't post something so blindly ignorant as to be painfully offensive without knowing what you are talking about.

StrivingForSleep · 04/05/2025 21:34

EHCPs aren’t about academic ability. And some DC with EHCPs will go on to be independent, some go on to university, some go on to work.

Sendcrisis2025 · 04/05/2025 21:33

I can also guarantee that 30k a year from age 4-11 is 210k.

10 years imprisonment is on average 520k.

10 years of PIP due to needing to be babysat is 96k.

10 years of UC at the benefit cap is 156k

The costs of children being failed as children is HUGE. Or shall we just put them down?

MidnightPatrol · 04/05/2025 21:32

I think these budgets need to come from central government rather than councils.

It’s clear councils are unable to meet their legal obligations with the funding they have, which leaves both councils and parents in a difficult situation.

OneDeepReader · 04/05/2025 21:32

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PickAChew · 04/05/2025 21:30

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These are human beings that you are talking about. People. Not commodities.

Anonymouslyikes · 04/05/2025 21:29

Budget decrease would / will probably happen regardless of who's in. Locally and nationally newly appointed governments have been saying "Oh look, the pot's empty".

I home edded through a year of primary & final 3 of secondary as the support was not there.

Asked for an Needs Assessment but was refused.

I know of others who have fought for the EHCP and it's not worth the paper it's written on.

I think that a lot of things that have taken for granted we can no longer expect. The nation is in decline. We've been deindustrialising, getting older, and it's going to get worse. The dream is over.

R0ckl0bster · 04/05/2025 21:29

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But every family hasn’t. Far from it. Only 4% of children have EHCPs.

StrivingForSleep · 04/05/2025 21:29

They can learn practical skills at home for less and have someone sit with them.

EOTAS/EOTIS isn’t the cheap option when done correctly/lawfully. These packages can be incredibly expensive.

Sendcrisis2025 · 04/05/2025 21:28

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My child has every potential to have an excellent adulthood. She can't cope in a classroom of 30 children, she isn't incapable. She actually works at greater depth accross the board. She's actually fiercely independent. She just can't cope in a classroom of 30 children. She needs support with her social skills but what she is NOT is incapable. She is not incapable of learning. She is not incapable of academics. She is not incapable of a career. Let's not write children off at 4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11.

Also, 100k packages are due to LAs failing to have spaces and therefore children ending up in independent specialists settings.

OneDeepReader · 04/05/2025 21:26

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R0ckl0bster · 04/05/2025 21:23

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Wow how bloody abelist! I’m reporting this post. I’m shocked there’s anybody who thinks like this.

OneDeepReader · 04/05/2025 21:21

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PickAChew · 04/05/2025 21:17

hattie43 · 04/05/2025 20:20

Well they are unknown and now they will either succeed or fail, time will tell . They have some very successful self made business men on board so they may do a trump and run on a purely profit / loss basis . The first thing they’ll do is look to cut costs in areas they don’t see any value in eg diversity roles , that saving will funnel into potholes etc .

Oh aye. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/farage-reform-council-diversity-officers-local-elections-lincolnshire-jenkyns-b2744308.html

Reform mayor vows to sack council’s diversity officers - except there aren’t any

Dame Andrea Jenkyns has doubled down on Farage’s pledge to sack diversity officers in Lincolnshire but the county council has revealed it does not employ any

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/farage-reform-council-diversity-officers-local-elections-lincolnshire-jenkyns-b2744308.html

Smallmercies · 04/05/2025 20:57

hattie43 · 04/05/2025 20:34

Well then an awful lot of people seem to like morons , grafters ( assume you mean grifters) and fascists then judging by their successes at the poles . Again people voted in brexit . I wanted to remain but the vote didn’t go my way so I have to accept this .

*polls

Annoyeddd · 04/05/2025 20:55

Someone upthread mentioned that reform insist that SEN didn't exist when they were young.
I am probably of reform supports age and SEN people certainly did exist however they were either placed in hospitals for what was known as "mentally handicapped" and left there for life or put in the remedial classes at school where the children would be doing handicrafts and not expected to achieve anything. Do reform want us to go back to those days

Fearfulsaints · 04/05/2025 20:47

hattie43 · 04/05/2025 20:38

Potholes are a hot topic . Seems to be important . The useful thing is it’s visable so if people see potholes repaired they’ll say the council are doing well. Yes I’m very aware we aren’t the USA what a bizarre thing to say .

Show quote history

I think this is true. If my LA started repairing all the pot holes, I think large number of people would be very happy and would think the council was very successful. People often only care about services they see or use and have little understanding if sen or social care unless directly impacted.

TizerorFizz · 04/05/2025 20:41

@hattie43 Grafters. They like grafters.

TizerorFizz · 04/05/2025 20:40

I listened to Professor Travers from LSE on the radio this morning. He thought that saving on diversity activities was a noisy distraction and a drop in the ocean. Very small savings to be had. Main expenses are adult and children social care, environment and health, roads and transport, central services, culture, planning, and housing. There’s not much fat there!

hattie43 · 04/05/2025 20:38

R0ckl0bster · 04/05/2025 20:34

🤣potholes, that crucial issue!

You do realise the UK isn’t the USA

Show quote history

Potholes are a hot topic . Seems to be important . The useful thing is it’s visable so if people see potholes repaired they’ll say the council are doing well. Yes I’m very aware we aren’t the USA what a bizarre thing to say .

hattie43 · 04/05/2025 20:34

Well then an awful lot of people seem to like morons , grafters ( assume you mean grifters) and fascists then judging by their successes at the poles . Again people voted in brexit . I wanted to remain but the vote didn’t go my way so I have to accept this .

R0ckl0bster · 04/05/2025 20:34

hattie43 · 04/05/2025 20:20

Well they are unknown and now they will either succeed or fail, time will tell . They have some very successful self made business men on board so they may do a trump and run on a purely profit / loss basis . The first thing they’ll do is look to cut costs in areas they don’t see any value in eg diversity roles , that saving will funnel into potholes etc .

🤣potholes, that crucial issue!

You do realise the UK isn’t the USA

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