SPOTLIGHT

A zero sum game?

The number of SEND tribunal cases is rising and the proportion of appeals ‘lost’ by local authorities is at a record high. Lottie Winson talks to education lawyers to understand the reasons why, and sets out the results of Local Government Lawyer’s exclusive survey.

Government to allocate £1.4bn for school rebuilding and £44m to support kinship and foster carers in Autumn Budget

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 funding commitments include:

  • £1.8 billion to support expansion of government-funded childcare, helping deliver the roll-out through local authorities - with a further £15 million of capital funding allocated to expand school-based nurseries;
  • £1.4 billion to rebuild schools;
  • £44 million to support kinship and foster carers;
  • More than £30m towards breakfast clubs.

The Government said the kinship funding will include trialling a new kinship allowance in up to 10 local authorities to test whether paying an allowance to cover certain costs – like supporting a child to settle into a new home with relatives – can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. 

Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson said: “This is a Budget about fixing the foundations of the country, so there can be no better place to start than the life chances of our children and young people.  

“Our inheritance may be dire, but I will never accept that any child should learn in a crumbling classroom. 

“We are determined to break down those barriers to opportunity, whether it’s brilliant early years, free breakfast clubs or high and rising standards in our schools, this government is putting education back at the forefront of national life.”

Lottie Winson