'Alternative' education for Dorset children to cost £8 million over 4 years
It's to provide support for young people who aren't in mainstream schools
Dorset Council's Cabinet has been told that the service to provide education for children who have been excluded from school, or who can't attend for health reasons, is estimated to cost £2.7 million in this financial year.
But that cost is expected to fall over the coming years, to an average of £2 million a year - or a total of £8 million over four years.
Education portfolio holder at Dorset Council, Andrew Parry, told an authority meeting that it was hoped some savings could be made through a new procurement process later this year.
Reducing the number of time children need the service and the length of time they need an alternative solution would also keep costs down.
It's hoped that more educational places can be found for children within Dorset, instead of them having to travel out of the county.
A report to the Dorset Council Cabinet stated:
“Our ambition is to support all children and young people in their journey to adulthood with underpinning principles of early help, personalisation and inclusion and enabling them to achieve their chosen outcomes. We know that children are safer when they are in education."
HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED?
There are currently 223 children living in the Dorset Council area who are getting alternative education - that's a higher percentage than many other authorities.
Just over half of those young people are secondary school age; 28% are primary age; with a similar percentage at sixth form or further education age.
The latest figures show 223 children from the Dorset Council area receiving a service from an alternative education provider, a higher percentage than other councils.