Investment

The SEND LGA Peer review told us:

Leaders need to develop a clear and comprehensive investment plan across the local area if the necessary improvements for children and young people in Gloucestershire are to be delivered.

Senior Leaders need to satisfy themselves that they can address shortfalls in service delivery and can fully deliver the improvements required within health and local authority services. The Peer Team felt this was unlikely to happen without significant additional investment to address the high workload of SEND caseworkers, development of additional special education placements across all areas and health provision.

What we have done already:

We have continued to invest in SEND services, recruiting 18 additional staff in the EHCP service during summer 2023, and agreeing funding for a new special school, together with investment in a Sensor Responsible Officer and support roles in health.

Funding needs and bids for local authority SEND services for 24/25 have been completed and further resource development for 24/25 is being scoped.

What’s next

We will progress the plans to build the new special school and continue to review investment and resource needed for 24/25.