Sheffield City Council has launched a five-year strategy to transform the support available for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The strategy aims to put families and children at the focal point following rising demand and national funding pressures.
Steve Kay, 54, Director of Belonging at Sheffield City Council, said: “For the first time we have a strategy, a vision.”
The council has promised to work closely with the Sheffield Parent Forum and continue to work with families to help highlight issues that urgently need to be tackled.
A key part of the “revamp” involves reducing the backlog of the Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) planning and review processes to create more accurate plans that reflect children’s needs.
Mr Kay said: “It is not the only answer. We need to get a series of interventions for this to succeed.”
He said that issues within the provision of SEND are not just unique to Sheffield.
Across the UK, there are significant rises in demand for EHCPs, mainstream schools are unable to properly accommodate children with SEND, and there are local authority deficits projected to reach £17.8 billion by 2029.
Mr Kay has visited schools in which he has found that there are still positives within the current system.
He said: “Not everything is broken. Sheffield is full of amazing people and there is a strong partnership.
“It is important to build on what works and where the gaps are. There are opportunities to develop but the only way to do it is together.”
Meredith Dixon-Teasdale, Strategic Director for Children’s Services at Sheffield City Council said: “This strategy and implementation plan is a joint effort to improve that situation.
“As a partnership, we will continue to speak and listen to families across the city who need extra support so we can look to improve services for all Sheffield’s children.”
The changes are already under way with the SEND Improvement Board overseeing its progress.
Sheffield City Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee are set to make a decision next Monday to accept more than £10 million from the Department for Education for more SEND provision across the city.