Doncaster Council is also currently facing a massive surge in demand for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) support. The council is currently working on assessments for 80 of those requests in the first quarter of this year. Of those, only 32 of them were actually completed in the target 20 weeks or less. For the worst period, the second quarter, requests jumped up to 110. In the face of this challenge the council managed to fill 83 emergency requests during that same period.
This increasing need for SEND provision in Doncaster, alongside a lack of funding, has recently led SEND support to be a hot topic. In just three years, the need for education, health and care plans increased by nearly a third. This rapidly accelerating trend poses daunting obstacles for municipalities, as they seek to provide the greatest benefit to families and children.
In Doncaster Council’s case, this year’s first quarter proved to be a tough performance. Even with that amazing generosity, they could only fulfill 40% of the requests placed. The second quarter improved that pace, which brought the overall completion rate back up to just a touch under 75%. The council understands that there is much work still to do.
“Doncaster, like many other local authorities, is facing rapidly rising demand for SEND support including education, health and care plans, which have increased by almost a third over the last three years.” – Doncaster Council spokesperson
Sue Farmer, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said it demonstrated the council’s continued commitment to tackling these issues.
“These achievements reflect our commitment to nurturing a child and family-friendly borough and ensuring every child has the best start in life.” – Sue Farmer
The council’s work to address this growing demand is important especially as families are turning more and more to this option to meet their children’s educational needs. This trend underscores the importance of timely assessments and effective resource allocation to ensure that every child receives the necessary assistance.
Doncaster Council is continually revising its approach to stay one step ahead of increasing expectations. It is equally about joining the dots to ensure faster response times and a better overall service delivery. The increasingly urgent pace of these asks speaks to the urgency and importance of these local leaders. They are providing a vital lifeline to at risk families in their communities.
