Building a better future for Buckinghamshire’s children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Buckinghamshire Council has today (Tuesday 9 September) approved a partnership vision for the improvement and transformation of support and services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families in Buckinghamshire.
The SEND and Inclusion Strategy 2025-2030 has been developed by a local area partnership comprising key partners including parent/carer representatives, professionals from health, education and care sectors and voluntary & community organisations, including parent and carer forum, FACT Bucks, as well as children and young people themselves.
The key priorities outlined in the strategy are:
- Early Support and Inclusion: Ensuring children with SEND and their families have their needs met at the earliest opportunity, preventing escalation of need, and creating an inclusive environment for all.
- Education Sufficiency: Providing sufficient high-quality education provision to meet the continuum of SEND needs, including post-16, mainstream, specialist, and alternative provisions.
- High Support Needs: Ensuring timely, appropriate, and integrated support for children and young people with high support needs and/or wider vulnerabilities.
- Preparation for Adulthood: Supporting young people to access suitable post-16 progression routes, develop independence and experience smooth transitions to adult services.
Ade Osibogun, Buckinghamshire Council's Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services said:
“We are committed to making changes that we believe will make a real difference to the lives of children, young people and families in our SEND community. This place-based strategy sets out our collective ambitions for children and young people with SEND and their families.
“It has been created in partnership with the very people using these services and we are grateful for everyone who has taken part and helped to shape these plans.
“Our shared ambition is for every child and young person with SEND to receive an inclusive education, have access to meaningful opportunities within the community and have a smooth transition into adulthood. We aim to create a more inclusive and supported environment for everyone.”
SEND services are under major pressure, both in Buckinghamshire and nationally. Proposals to reform the SEND system as a whole, are due to by published by the Government in the autumn. This strategy has been designed to adapt to these future changes, as and when further details emerge.
The strategy will be delivered by Buckinghamshire’s SEND Partnership which comprises key multi-agency partners including Buckinghamshire Council, Integrated Care Board and FACT Bucks parent/carer forum. An annual action plan with clear measures for each priority area will be used to monitor progress.