North Yorkshire campaigners warn new SEND funding is "drop in ocean"

The Government is giving £740million to improve support in mainstream schools

Author: Kathy GreenPublished 4th Dec 2024

The Government's announcing 740 million pounds to support pupils with special educational needed and disabilities in mainstream schools.

It'll go towards adapting classrooms to be more accessible and creating specialist facilities.

But campaigners in North Yorkshire say it's won't be enough because of the scale of the crisis.

Cat Wood is from Rawcliffe near York - and tells about the experiences of her autistic son.

"So we actually started mainstream last September, but we had to pull him out after a month because he suffered so badly with the environment that he actually ended up having seizures because of his stress levels.

"So we had quite a complex process with trying to get him into the right place so he is now actually in a specialist school, which we're so relieved about. And the places are so extremely limited. So we are extremely privileged to have that as an option for him and I know a lot of parents in the local area don't have that option, but I think we've seen both sides of the coin, we know what an amazing provision looks like.

"His school is absolutely fantastic and they do everything. The whole place is completely tailored to his needs and the other children that are there, who are also autistic compared to the mainstream provision, which was probably his worst nightmare.

"A drop in the ocean"

"I think the initial reaction is, is it enough money and £740 million might sound like a significant chunk of money to a lot of people, but I suppose people in the SEND community, parents who are constantly having to apply for funding and doing all these things know that actually for the scope of what they're trying to do it's a bit of a drop in the ocean. Every child is so complex in their own way, knowing 740 million would be quite hard to cover all the bases needed."

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