The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which will introduce registers to identify children not in school, and unique identifier numbers for children across services, has been published by Government today (17 December).

The Local Government Association (LGA) has joined the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) in criticising proposals by the Tribunal Procedure Committee to change the rules on the handling of so-called ‘refusal appeals’, warning that they should not be implemented at a time when local SEND systems are under “significant pressure”.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into suspected bid-rigging in relation to school improvement contracts.

Meaningful reform to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system is likely to require a “significant expansion” of the core SEND provision available in mainstream schools, an expansion of state-funded special school places, a geographic redistribution of funding, and maybe reducing the statutory obligations currently attached to EHCPs, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has…

A group of headteachers of special schools in Kent have asked lawyers to explore launching a judicial review claim against Kent County Council, which is pursuing plans to change the designation and admissions guidance for some of the special schools in the county.

Capital City College Group is to procure an agreement for the provision of professional legal services, with a key emphasis on employment tribunal services.

Outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are poor with a “fundamental mismatch” between the scale of demand for support and the level of resource, Ofsted has warned.

Two-thirds of school leaders are “dissatisfied” with existing guidance on supporting SEND pupils, with 68% regarding the creation of a national set of SEND standards as the “biggest priority area” for Government, according to a survey by law firm Browne Jacobson.

The Department for Education has confirmed that the Government will not enter any more safety valve agreements with councils in financial difficulty over their SEND budget, “pending wider reform of the whole system to prioritise early intervention”.

Three linked claims challenging so-called 'safety valve' agreements will now proceed to a final judicial review hearing early next year.

Norfolk County Council has called for a trial period where decisions in the SEND tribunal “must take account of” Local Inclusion Plans and safety-valve agreements.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has called on the Government to provide it with extra powers to ensure they are fit for purpose and to address what it describes as “accountability gaps”.

The Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) has launched judicial review proceedings over a decision by the Department for Education to exclude colleges from this summer’s 5.5% school teacher pay award.

The Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) has described proposals by the Tribunal Procedure Committee to change the rules on the handling of so-called ‘refusal appeals’ as “undesirable” and “inappropriate”.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has recommended Worcestershire Council pay a remedy of more than £11,000 after a child with special educational needs missed out on five and a half terms of education due to failures by the authority.

A High Court judge has rejected a judicial review claim over a decision by a school governing body's disciplinary panel not to reinstate a teenage boy to his school following a permanent exclusion, which occurred as a result of “persistent breaches” of the school's behaviour policy.

Care reforms set to be announced by the Government today (18 November) will aim to “rebalance” the children’s social care system in favour of early intervention, “giving every family the legal right to be involved in decisions made about children entering the care system”.

Hackney Council has decided to settle by consent a judicial review challenge relating to the proposed closure of two local children’s centres, days before the final hearing was due to take place.

Hampshire County Council has established a steering group and is seeking a "step in clause" as part of a section 106 agreement in order to oversee Eastleigh Borough Council's "unusual" decision to build a primary school as part of a 2,500-home development.

Ensuring London’s schools are ‘genuinely inclusive’ is vital to protect the success of schools in the capital as the number of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) grows, London Councils has warned.

The Government has announced its plans to commit £1.4 billion to ensure the delivery of the existing School Rebuilding Programme, alongside funding for children’s social care, breakfast clubs and early years childcare.

The National Audit Office (NAO) has warned that despite funding rising by 58% in the last decade, the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system is “financially unsustainable” and “in urgent need of reform”.

Hampshire County Council is appealing a decision by the Upper Tribunal that there was a failure to consult in relation to its decision to cease to maintain a child’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan on the basis that the family were no longer in its area.

Almost three quarters of England’s largest councils “could have to declare bankruptcy” by 2027 if the multi-billion-pound special educational needs and disabilities services (SEND) deficits they are faced with are placed onto their budget books, the County Councils Network (CCN) has claimed.

Geldards has strengthened its specialist education law team with the appointment of Senior Associate Stephanie Hughes.

National Education Union (NEU) members of Wirral Council's SEND team have begun a three-week strike over workload and pay.

More than 50 people who attended Formby High School on Merseyside are suing Sefton Council, claiming that it failed to properly investigate sexual abuse allegations against a teacher at the council-run school.

Special school trust Parallel Learning is to close, after having to pay back a £3.38m settlement it struck with Lambeth Council following a legal claim for unpaid payroll services.

Sandwell Council has agreed to review its school transport policy after an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found flaws in the way it considered a family’s application for school transport.

A judicial review is to be heard in December over the lawfulness of a decision by Bristol City Council to enter into a ‘safety valve’ agreement with the Department for Education.