Politicians join fight to protect vulnerable Send children

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MPs and councillors have written to Reform-led Leicestershire County Council asking for “transparent answers” on proposals to cut special needs and education (Send) nursaries, with the leader of Leicestershire County Council Liberal Democrat group, councillor Michael Mullaney, calling on the council to drop its plans altogether.

The county council is consulting on proposals to provide extra funding for nursery places for children with additional needs in mainstream settings instead of funding the four specialist nurseries, which include Lift Beacon in Loughborough, Oasis Retreat in Melton Mowbray, and the Menphys sites at Wigston and Sketchley Hill in Burbage.

The council said some of the buildings would be repurposed to provide additional Send places for statutory school-aged children and young people. The authority has said the proposals will create more accessible and inclusive Send nursery places.

Councillor Mullaney said closing the nurseries would be a “really retrograde step”. He said: “Many parents have expressed their anguish at the news that the nurseries could close.

“Among the concerns that residents have been raising about the closure are that the specialist nursery schools have been built and developed over many years to ensure the necessary specialist equipment and teaching resources are available to enable these children to reach their potential and learn in a suitable environment. Many mainstream settings would not have the infrastructure to support the needs of the children who attend these four nurseries.

“The specialist nursery schools have highly skilled staff who have expertise in providing the care and teaching suitable to meet the needs of children who have the most profound levels of Send. If the nurseries are closed and these children are to be sent to other mainstream settings, the staff at the new nurseries would need to receive significant training to meet the needs of these children and to ensure that they remain safe and are able to learn and reach their best possible outcomes.

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MPs Alberto Costa and Luke Evans have jointly written to the leader of Leicestershire County Council, Dan Harrison, stating that parents across Leicestershire have raised “serious concerns” about the council’s decision to stop commissioning Send places for children up to four-years-old.

They added: “There is significant anxiety and concern that your changes will lead to the potential closure of specialist nursery schools in our community.”

In response, councillor Charles Pugsley, cabinet member for children and families stressed the proposals were not about saving money, but looking at providing education that was close to home.

Deborah Taylor, leader of the Conservative group, has also written to the county council about her “deep concern and firm objection” to the proposed closures.

She said: “Whilst I recognise the council’s intention to improve inclusivity and offer more flexible, community-based provision, the proposal to remove established, specialist nurseries poses significant risks to the welfare, development and safety of some of the most vulnerable in our society.”

MP Neil O’Brien has also expressed his concern on his Facebook page, urging people to complete a consultation on the proposed closures, adding: “Many parents are concerned this could see children placed in settings that are not properly equipped to meet their needs.”

Councillor Pugsley said: “It is important to stress that these proposals are not about saving money. All of the funding we currently spend on specialist placements would be reinvested into our planned new approach.

“Studies tell us that children thrive when they’re supported close to home, which is why our plans focus on more specialist trained staff located locally in schools, rather than long distances from a child’s home.

“We are expecting the government to lay out their plans for changes to Send in their White Paper soon, and this is expected to be based around an inclusive mainstream system, with specialist support for children that need it.

“Responses will be considered before any final decision is made and timescales will depend on the overall outcome that is taken forward.”

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