Disabled Children’s Partnership comments on new education funding for disabled children

3 mins read

Tuesday 26 October 2021

Tags: disabled children's partnership, campaigns, spending review, covid recovery

Ahead of the Government’s spending review tomorrow, Amanda Batten, Contact CEO and Chair of the Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP), explains why the Chancellor must ringfence vital funding for Covid recovery support for disabled children.

“The Sun has revealed that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will ring-fence £2.6 billion to create more than 30,000 specialist school places over the next three years. With so many children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) struggling to get the right school placement, any increase in the choice and range of places available is welcome.

“However, welcome that this funding is, it will not solve all the problems faced by disabled children and their families. Our #GiveItBack campaign, and #LeftInLockdown research, has revealed that there are huge backlogs in disabled children’s health and social care services, which still need to be addressed. 

“The gap widens, the DCP’s latest economic analysis released with Scope, revealed that there is a funding gap of £573 million in disabled children’s social care services. At the same time, we know that nearly three quarters of disabled children have seen their progress managing their conditions regress during the pandemic, as already stretched health and care services were further restricted. 

“As unmet need continues to rise, and a backlog of assessments remains, it is essential that families get the health and care support they are entitled to. This funding in education is a good start, and it is very encouraging that the government is recognising the need to invest in support for disabled children and their families. But it needs to be built upon by properly funding the health and care services many families with disabled children need to live a healthy, happy life. 

“At the spending review on Wednesday, the government must invest in dedicated Covid recovery support for disabled children, fill the funding gaps in disabled children’s health and care services, and implement a Disabled Children’s Innovation Fund to radically improve services across the country.”

Tell the chancellor to prioritise disabled children

We have to up the pressure on government as much as possible for Covid recovery funds for disabled children.  

Can you take an urgent new DCP action and email Rishi Sunak and other ministers in one final push to have families with disabled children heard before the spending review?