FOI Request - Spending on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Request 101003780851

Please provide, for each financial year from 2014-15 to 2024-25 inclusive, broken down by year, the gross expenditure that your council has spent on:

1. SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), defined as services and support for children and young people up to the age of 25 with special educational needs or disabilities. This includes Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, specialist educational provision, SEND transport, and any other direct support provided by the council.

2. Please provide, for the respective years, the gross expenditure on SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) broken down by category, including but not limited to:

a) Specialist Educational Placements - Funding for places at special schools, including independent or out-of-county schools.
b) Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan Support - Support costs linked directly to EHC plans (e.g., specialist teaching assistants).
c) SEND Transport - Transport for children and young people with SEND to schools or colleges.
d) Additional Support in Mainstream Settings - Funding to help mainstream schools support pupils with additional needs (e.g., SENCOs, specialist teaching).
e) Specialist Support Services-  Therapists (e.g., speech and language therapy, occupational therapy), specialist teachers, or educational psychologists.
f) Short Breaks/Respite Care - Services for families of children with SEND to give carers a break.
g) Transition Services - Support for young people with SEND moving into adulthood (often overlaps with adult social care).
h) Early Years SEND Support - Targeted support for children with SEND in nurseries or early years settings.
i) Other Advisory or Inclusion Services- Local teams providing advice to schools on inclusion strategies.

3. The total amount in the respective years received from central government to fulfil these obligations.

4. Total council expenditure from 2014-15 to 2024-25 inclusive, broken down by year.