Children placed in ‘illegal’ care homes
Nearly 800 vulnerable children in England have been placed in illegal care homes, raising serious concerns about their safety and wellbeing, according to a report by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee.
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Special needs teacher training announced
The Government has announced a £200 million teacher training programme to support pupils in England with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Minister discusses Schools White Paper
School Standards Minister Georgia Gould OBE attended the LGA’s Councillors’ Forum in January, to talk about special educational needs and disabilities provision.
Rail to power northern growth
The Government has launched a new Northern Growth Strategy, with Northern Powerhouse Rail at its heart.
Funding for road maintenance
The Government has published an interactive local road-maintenance ratings map, showing how 154 English highway authorities are performing when it comes to repairing potholes and maintaining roads, grading them on a red, amber or green scale.
‘1 in 3 councils will need emergency bailout’ – LGA
The LGA called for a significant increase in resources for councils in the final local government finance settlement in England, which was expected to be published as first was going to press.
Councils ‘could face insolvency’ over SEND deficits
As first was going to press, an announcement was expected on how ministers plan to deal with councils’ mounting deficits in respect of costs for supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England.
Closing the ‘holiday experience’ gap
Giving children from low-income households access to similar opportunities to their peers during school holidays improves children’s health and wellbeing, promotes healthy eating, boosts school attendance, and improves inclusivity for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Call to ban unethical ‘patient brokering’
The LGA and campaigners are calling for new legislation to tackle the exploitation of vulnerable people through ‘patient brokering’ in England’s drug and alcohol addiction treatment sector.
Council voice ‘must be heard’ on planning reforms
It is crucial that councils’ views are fully considered in a consultation on “significant” changes to the planning system in England, the LGA has said.