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“This report reinforces the significant budget reductions councils have experienced and increasing numbers of children needing urgent help. As the impact of the pandemic becomes clear, councils expect to see a significant rise in referrals to children’s social care and demand for wider children’s support services."

The high needs system for further education is not working and requires a radical shake-up, council and college leaders say today in a new report. The report, commissioned by the Local Government Association, the Association of Colleges and Natspec, the membership body for specialist colleges, highlights that the system is overly complicated, resulting in young people, their parents, councils and colleges facing challenges which have a detrimental impact on those students in further education with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It finds that key elements of the current

“The pandemic has led to rising numbers of families facing exceptionally difficult circumstances and councils have worked tirelessly with schools to keep them open and children and their families safe and well, through online and virtual contact and resources, as well as high priority home visits."

“Unless this funding is made more long-term and less restrictive, more schools may have to close after having spent their budgets on supply teachers, which will only serve to exacerbate growing attainment gaps.”

“The extra funding for adult and children’s social care announced today is positive but will not on its own be enough to tackle the significant challenges facing children’s social care which was already under strain prior to the pandemic as a result of increasing demand and long-term funding reductions."

"We need to do all we can to support the retention of good school leaders and teachers, which requires every school to have the necessary funds to invest and prioritise high quality staff development."

More than a million young people in England could be missing formal full-time education, fuelled by significant gaps in education legislation, rising child support needs and a lack of funding.

“Youth services have a vital role to play in providing young people with safe spaces to go and trusted relationships with adults who can help them make positive life choices and avoid being drawn into negative situations during and after the pandemic."

“It is essential that we have enough childcare places to support families to ensure the country can recover from COVID-19, both economically and socially."

"No young person should have to go hungry and ensuring vulnerable pupils are provided for is a top priority for councils."