Concerns Over Special Educational Needs Provision in Scarborough

Tuesday, 11 April 2023 06:00

By Matthew Pells

There are concerns a drive for savings will affect SEN services.

Special educational Needs provision in Scarborough is at crisis point.

That's the view of Scarborough Councillor John Ritchie.

He says when the council asked local schools if they could help provide a new Targeted Mainstream Provision capability, not one school in the town said yes.

Councillor Ritchie says that while there are issues around SEN funding across the country, there is a significant issue in North Yorkshire.

Cuts to the budgets for a number of Special Educational Needs services in North Yorkshire were included in the authorities first budget, the council hopes to cover the funding reductions through efficiency savings.

Councillor Ritchie says while he backed the new North Yorkshire Council's overall budget he does have concerns about the SEN funding.

Councillor Ritchie is hoping to work with a number of North Yorkshire Council's committee's to draw attention to the problems and try and find some solutions. He feels it's important councillors hear directly from those who would be affected by any reduction in SEN services.