Rising special education demand leaves Dorset with £6.5m bill
0A huge increase in children needing special education and health support has created an extra £6.5m spending pressure for Dorset County Council.
The council’s audit and governance committee revealed a surge in demand by children needing an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) had resulted in a massive spending increase.
It revealed that as of the end of December 2018, the number of Dorset funded EHCPs already exceeded the number forecast at the end 2023.
The council warned the costs of provision cannot be driven down.
The costs have mainly been created by increasing demand for children being placed in specialist foster care.
The council revealed residential placements start at £4,000 per week for highly vulnerable adolescents and that alternative placement options for this group of children are limited.
Extra placements at special schools had been required because mainstream places have already been filled by new demand.
The council is due to be replaced by a new authority, Dorset Council, and funding has already been made available to cover the rising costs.
The council expects to balance the books over all.
A report to councillors explained: “Funding has not matched growth, thereby producing the overspend.
“Children’s services budgets continue to be under pressure at a national level, not just locally.
“The secretary of state for education recently announced additional funding to support the budget but £100m of capital and £250m revenue over the two years to 2019/20 is simply inadequate given the pressure in the system.
“We await the opportunity to feed further into the funding debate and CSR [Comprehensive Spending Review] 2019.”
