The Liberal Democrats have condemned the Conservative Government for slashing the Surrey County Council budget for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by £4,403.72 per pupil in real terms since 2015 … funding cuts that have resulted in a loss of the required specialist education provision.

This condemnation of the Conservatives’ approach came after the National Education Union, which published this statistic on 15 April, warned that local authorities have now reached crisis point in providing for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

It is undeniable that SEND funding is an investment in a child’s future. It can help someone with a learning difficulty or disability secure a higher paid job, security and independence in later life.

But despite this clear added value, the National Education Union has warned that, notwithstanding that children with the highest special educational needs and disabilities have a legal right to extra support, funding under the Conservative Government has failed to keep up with increasing costs and rising pupil numbers.

In contrast to these Conservative spending cuts, the Liberal Democrats believe that everyone deserves the best start in life, and education can be the make or break difference. As a result, we are campaigning for the Government to provide more money for those pupils who possess an Education, Health and Care Plan thereby freeing up money in school budgets to provide tailored in-school support for children with less complex additional needs such as dyslexia.