A major plan to improve education, health and support services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Cheshire East has been approved by the Department for Education.

The Cheshire East SEND Reform Plan sets out how the council and its partners will implement the government's national SEND reforms locally, creating a more inclusive and effective system of support for children, young people and their families.

At the heart of the plan is a commitment to identifying and responding to children's needs as early as possible, helping families access the right support sooner and reducing the need for more intensive specialist intervention later in life.

Councillor Laura Crane, Cheshire East Council's cabinet member for children's services, 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."

The plan was developed in partnership with organisations across education, health and social care, following consultation with the Cheshire East Parent Carer Forum,

It sets out out a stronger focus on inclusion in mainstream schools and earlier access to specialist expertise through a new Experts at Hand programme.

By bringing services such as educational psychology, speech and language therapy, and specialist teaching support closer to schools, the programme will help staff respond to needs more effectively.

Like many local authorities across the country, Cheshire East has experienced significant growth in demand for SEND services and increasing pressure on the Dedicated Schools Grant High Needs Block.

As part of the agreement to deliver the SEND Reform Plan, the Government has approved arrangements that will offset 90% of the council's historic high needs deficit.

Councillor Crane continued: "The approval of this plan is a significant milestone for Cheshire East. Rising demand for SEND support, increasing numbers of Education, Health and Care Plans and a shortage of specialist placements have all contributed to financial pressures experienced both locally and nationally.

"We now have a clear and robust plan in place, backed by government, which focuses on improving outcomes for children and young people through earlier intervention, greater inclusion and better coordinated support. Alongside these improvements, the plan will help put SEND services on a more sustainable footing for the future."

Following the approval of the plan, further work will now take place to align the council's financial position with the agreed reforms and delivery programme.