Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) Warrington Borough Council and (b) other local authorities are fully funded to implement the Government's educational reforms to provision for children and young people with special needs; and if she will make a statement.

To ensure that local authorities were fully funded to implement the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) reforms, the Government provided them with a £70million SEND Reform Grant in 2014-15, aimed at helping them to prepare for their new statutory duties. Warrington Borough Council’s share of this grant amounted to £223,867.

Through the ‘SEND Implementation Grant’, additional implementation funding of £45.2million was provided in 2014-15; £31.7million was provided in 2015-16 and £35.8million was provided in 2016-17. Warrington Borough Council’s shares of these allocations were £177,094 in 2014-15; £106,362 in 2015-16 and £119,606 in 2016-17.

In addition to direct implementation funding for local authorities, the Government has provided:

• £45million between 2014-15 and 2016-17 for Independent Supporters to help parents and young people through the process of education, health and care assessment and planning;
• £5million for local authorities to increase opportunities for work experience and supported internships in 2015-16;
• £6.75million between 2014-15 and 2016-17 to provide grant support for every Parent Carer Forum in England;
• funding for a network of nine lead authorities in 2015-16 and 2016-17 to coordinate peer support; and
• funding for a delivery consortium of voluntary and community sector organisations providing specialist advice and support to local authorities and their partners.

The Government has also committed to funding the SEND Implementation Grant, Independent Supporters and Parent Carer Forums for 2017-2018.