Dear Gavin Williamson MP (Secretary of State for Education)

Last year 39 Local Authorities wrote to the then Secretary of State for Education Damian Hinds demanding action to resolve the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) funding crisis affecting all local authorities. This letter was followed by a petition of 34,000 people demanding that the 2,000 children who were then without education provision be given appropriate and timely educational support.

The Department for Education has since updated its own data showing that, in January 2019, the SEND Crisis had worsened and 8,500 children were without any education provision at all. This is not acceptable.

A recent Government announcement pledged a further £700 million towards the high needs block that funds children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). According to ASCL, NAHT, NEU and the F40 group this will still leave a funding shortfall of £1 billion, meaning that the Government’s recent promise is not enough.

Funding cuts are putting Local Authorities in an impossible position which inhibits our ability to discharge our statutory responsibility to provide SEND provision for all children in our care.

This is a crisis; and the Government must take action. We are therefore calling on the Government to urgently:

• Provide the remaining £1 billion required to cover the shortfall for SEND funding.
• Ensure that from September 2020 no child will be without a school place.
• Commit to funding that keeps up with the demands of SEND provision and safeguarding future generations from further damaging cuts.

We all have a responsibility to provide the best for our young people. We urge you to act now.

Yours Sincerely

The undersigned local authorities