Dame Caroline Dinenage, Member of Parliament for Gosport, has welcomed the news that Hampshire County Council is set to benefit from £26,364,528 of funding for SEND children.

 The Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan. Today announced that the Conservative Government are investing a record £850 million in councils. To create new places for young people with special educational needs (SEND) and alternative provision (AP) in mainstream and special schools.

The £2.6 billion package marks a tripling in previous levels of investment from 2022 to 2025. In fact since 2019 the high-needs budget has been increased by over 60 percent. Furthermore since 2010, the Conservative Government has delivered 60,000 more special needs places, opening 108 new schools, with a further 92 on the way.

Alongside the Education Secretary’s announcement, Baroness Barran, Minister for the School System and Student Finance, announced that the Government had approved Solent Academies Trust’s application to run Whiteley Academy. The free school will offer specialist education for 135 pupils aged 4 to 18 with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD).

Commenting, Caroline said: “I know from my work on improving Autism training in education settings how essential it is that children and young people with special educational needs receive the right support in an appropriate learning environment.

“I am pleased that the Government are investing over £26 million to ensure that Hampshire can meet the needs of children with SEND, I know it will be welcomed by many families in the Gosport area and across the country.”

Commenting, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Today we are taking another step to ensure our education system provides all children with the very best start in life.

“We are making sure no parent has to battle to get the right type of school to meet their needs, and improving the school estate so all children are taught in the best classrooms for generations to come.”