The Times Educational Supplement ran a recent article on SEN staffing levels in English local authorities. Alarmingly there seems to have been a reduction of 11% since 2009 - bringing SEN department staff numbers across the country to just over 2000.
There are concerns about LAs' abilities to implement the changes proposed in the Green Paper - let alone maintain current levels of service to schools and families.
This does prompt questions about the best way to support SEND in schools, and perhaps this is the time to look at other models - including direct commissioning by schools where LA resources are tight or thresholds have been raised. There is also an issue about the loss of valuable expertise. We hope that ASEND has a part to play in the overall picture here. Many of our advisors have LA experience, as advisory teachers, former SENCOs or educational psychologists.
If you are a school considering how to plan provision for your SEND pupils - then do contact us to talk about ways that we can support you.
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