Councils ‘wasting millions’ on special educational needs legal disputes

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The entire process is in need of a re-think, to keep children and their families from the stress and pain of going without the support they so desperately need Anoushka Kenley, Pro Bono Economics Parents can ask their local authority to assess their child for an education, health and care plan if they feel they need more support than is available through special educational needs support. Pro Bono Economics said there was a “deeply worrying” rise in the number of legal challenges to council decisions about how to support children with additional needs – which they said increased by 29% on the previous year – while the Local Government Association, which represents councils, said the jump “is indicative of a system that is not working”. Getting it right would not only give these young people the best possible start in life, it would also benefit the economy as a whole.” This report shows how much public money is being wasted in those battles – money that could instead be providing the education and therapies children need Stephen Kingdom, Disabled Children’s Partnership Stephen Kingdom, campaign manager at the Disabled Children’s Partnership, said parents and carers are being pitted against “highly-paid barristers paid for by local authorities from money that comes out of the public purse”, with the lengthy cases being lost by local authorities “because parents know what is best for their children”. This report shows how much public money is being wasted in those battles – money that could instead be providing the education and therapies children need.” The Government’s Send reforms will fix some problems with the current system, but we will work with them because we want them to go further in addressing the fundamental cost and demand issues that result in councils struggling to meet the needs of children with Send The Local Government Association The Local Government Association said councils “fully recognise the right of families to take appeals to tribunals”.