Oxfordshire councillor appeals to new Secretary of State for Education to address funding crisis

Cllr Liz Brighouse, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children, education and youth services, said: “We know that parents are really worried about support and education of their children, and that families are being affected because of government policies.

“I am appealing to the new Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan, to urgently address the national funding issues facing all local authorities providing special education and disabilities services for children and young people.

“Like all local authorities in England, we struggle to keep up with demand. This is because the government’s high needs grants don’t match our children’s needs.

“Moreover, the range of children and young people receiving special educational needs and disabilities support was extended in 2014, but no extra money was made available to extend our own special provisions.

“Gillian Keegan must find the money to fund the total accumulated deficit in the budget for special educational needs and disabilities children arising from unfunded changes the government itself introduced nearly ten years ago. At the end of March 2022, in Oxfordshire the deficit stood at £29.8m and is forecast to increase to £47.3m by March 2023.”