implications of SEND reforms

[clangermum]

Hi

I'm just wading through information on this so haven't got my head round it yet. In basic terms, if they are saying that instead of looking at education and health and social care separately, they'll have one joined-up plan, would this help those of us trying to get funding for residential special schools? dd travels a fair distance daily, and I'm sure if she went to a residential school (have my eye on one) the overall cost would be less as she'd only make the journey twice a week, and we may even provide transport. Until now, the argument has always been that the LEA is only obliged to meet her needs during school hours via her statement. Daily transport costs are astronomical yet that's the system.

Anybody else in this position?

Perhaps. No-one really knows, and I'm not talking about parents but policy-makers.

Not just me confused then

OP, if it would be cheaper for your child to attend a residential school, and if the LA is currently paying more for the current school plus transport, I'd have thought they'd be delighted to move her even under the current system. They do after all have a duty to try to save money. Have you tried giving them the figures and asking them to agree a move?

I put out feelers a while back, but the answer I got was that the dept. we were dealing with only had a duty of care between the hours of 9-3. It wasn't their responsibility to cater for her emotional and social needs outside school.

But if thinking is changing, it may be worth trying again I guess.

At the time it was all to do with budgets and departments being very rigid.