Cheshire East Council has received approval from the Department for Education for a major reform plan designed to transform support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
The Cheshire East SEND Reform Plan outlines how the council and its partners across education, health and social care will deliver the government's national SEND reforms locally, with a stronger emphasis on early intervention, inclusion and coordinated support services.
At the core of the strategy is a commitment to identifying children's needs earlier and providing support before challenges escalate, helping families access the right services sooner while reducing the need for more intensive interventions later.
A key feature of the programme is the introduction of a new Experts at Hand initiative, which will bring specialist services closer to mainstream schools. Educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and specialist teaching professionals will provide earlier and more accessible support to school staff, enabling them to respond more effectively to pupils' needs.
The reform programme aims to increase inclusion within mainstream education settings, ensuring more children and young people with SEND can remain within their local communities and learn alongside their peers.
The plan was developed following consultation with the Cheshire East Parent Carer Forum and extensive engagement with children, young people, families, schools and wider stakeholders.
The council is also investing in specialist SEND provision through its Inclusion and SEND Provision Capital Programme, funded via the DfE's High Needs Provision Capital Allocation.
Like many local authorities, Cheshire East has faced considerable pressure from increasing demand for SEND support, rising numbers of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and a shortage of specialist placements.
Cheshire East Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Cllr Laura Crane, said:
“This reform plan sets out our commitment to creating a SEND system that is more responsive, inclusive and focused on helping children and young people achieve their potential as close to home as possible.
"While this plan looks to the future, we are already investing in support and services. Our inclusion funding pilot, which will enable schools to access funding to support the inclusion of children and young people in mainstream settings, launches later this month.
"We have launched an Inclusion and SEND Provision Capital Programme, funded through the DfE’s High Needs Provision Capital Allocation. The response from schools has been extremely positive, with more than 70 schools submitting bids for capital funding to enhance their provision and strengthen inclusive practice.
"By supporting schools and settings to develop their environments and expertise, we can help ensure more children and young people have their needs met in their local communities, reducing the need for costly specialist placements where appropriate.
"The council has also established a number of partnership workstreams focused on key areas including understanding needs and assessment, meeting needs and service delivery, sufficiency, joint commissioning, and transitions into adulthood. These workstreams bring together partners from across education, health and care to drive meaningful and lasting improvement."
As part of the agreed reform programme, the Government has approved arrangements that will offset 90% of the council's historic high needs deficit, providing significant financial relief while supporting long-term service transformation.
With government approval now secured, Cheshire East Council will move forward with implementation, aligning its financial recovery plans with the delivery of SEND reforms aimed at improving outcomes for children, young people and families across the borough.
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