Funding ‘crisis’ hits special needs kids

THOUSANDS of children with special needs are waiting for school places because of a ‘crisis’ in funding, it has been claimed.

In January last year, there were 279,582 under-19s who were classed as having special educational needs.

Of these, Whitehall figures show 4,050 were waiting for a school place – an increase of 137 per cent from the 1,710 in 2016.

The National Education Union claimed that councils are being ‘starved’ of the cash they need to offer support.

It argued: ‘Children facing the greatest challenges are paying the price for the crisis in education funding.’

Union general secretary Kevin Courtney said that ‘extra money is urgently needed’.

A Government spokesman said: ‘Core schools and high needs funding has been protected in real terms.

‘The budget for special educational needs is £6billion this year.’