Posted on Thursday 20th November 2025
The council is investing in early intervention to address needs before issues escalate.
Staffordshire County Council is investing more in SEND services to help children and young people.
As well as increasing the pace of processing EHCP reports, the authority is investing in early intervention to address needs before issues escalate.
Janet Higgins, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Education and SEND, said:
Demand for help in Staffordshire far exceeds the funding provided by central Government – and we along with many other councils in the same position are constantly working to do the most with the resources we have.
At the same time we are investing in ways to provide support much earlier in the process; helping families at an early stage is obviously better for them - and saves money in the long run.”
Around £500,000 has been invested in providing additional staff to target delays in agreeing EHCPs, particularly in completing educational psychology reports.
Having begun in September the team is on target clear almost 300 overdue assessments by Christmas.
Funding has previously been committed to creating 48 additional special school places, while 43 places have been created in mainstream schools for children with EHCP over the last 12 months. Plans are in progress to deliver a further 143 places in time for the next school year.
At the same time workers are focusing on identifying children in need of support at an earlier stage, with support being put into mainstream schools across the county.
Early intervention through the Enhanced Assess, Plan, Do Review approach has already supported more than 500 more children, supporting schools to provide specialist support for children with SEND.
The improvements come as the authority unveils its Joint SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The strategy for 2026-29 has been developed jointly with the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board.
Children, young people, parents, carers and professionals were involved in drawing up the strategy and will remain involved during delivery stage.
Janet Higgins added:
The strategy was drawn up after consultation with those using the system – and I thank them for their help.
We are determined to do the best we can and some of the parents and carers who took part in the consultation will also be involved in monitoring the delivery plan to hold us to account on behalf of the wider community.”