New Cabinet at Staffordshire County Council Pledge to Prioritise SEND
Posted on Thursday 5th June 2025
The new Cabinet lead for Education and SEND at Staffordshire County Council has pledged to make the issue of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) a top priority.
Janet Higgins, who has both personal and professional experience of the issue, said:
”Improving SEND provision is hugely important to this new administration, and it is one of our four core priorities.
“Through my own experiences, I fully understand the pressures families face day-to-day and I am determined to ensure that all children in Staffordshire receive the support they need at the earliest possible point to help them reach their full potential.”
In Staffordshire demand for support has increased rapidly, outstripping resourcing. The council has highlighted how it has been consistently underfunded by Government.
Janet added:
“Fundamentally the national SEND system is failing and in desperate need of reform. The current position is not sustainable, and the level of Government funding is not nearly enough to meet the increasing need for support or the increasingly complex needs of the children we support.
“We will do as much as possible with the resources we have; however, our efforts are unlikely to be enough if the Government do not step up and deliver the critical funding and policy reforms which are needed.
“We know that this is a key issue for our MPs too and I will be looking for their support to help lobby Government on behalf of Staffordshire families.”