There are currently just under 3000 children and young people within Cambridgeshire with a statement of special education need. Meeting the individual needs of each child or young person requires very careful planning.
Of this group, 784 children and young people attend special schools within Cambridgeshire.
The 3000 children also includes a small group of children and young people whose needs are so complex that they can only be met by Independent Specialist Educational Placements. In 2011/12, 104 children and young people were in these type of placements. Such placements are highly specialist, usually, but not always, outside of the county and are costly.
The SEN education placement strategy has been developed with a view to
- Keep children and young people in Cambridgeshire with their families.
- Provide high quality education as close to home as possible.
- Reduce spend on Independent Specialist Educational Placements where placements can be made more cost effectively elsewhere.
- Reduce the number of Independent Specialist Educational Placements where placements can be made elsewhere that are as good.
- Provide effective and shared monitoring and review of placements.
- Provide effective contracting and commissioning.
We have ensured all parties have had the opportunity to influence the development of this strategy by carrying out consultation events and collecting feedback via an online survey between January and March 2012.
The consultation is now complete. A consultation response report will be available during April 2012. Please find the SEN Education placement strategy below.