Children's SEN placements - Find a freedom of information request

We are aware of data published by the Department for Education. However, the 'Statements of SEN and EHC plans: England' data set (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-special-educational-needs-sen), doesn't provide any granular breakdown by primary type of SEN need.

We are also aware of the 'Special education needs in England' data set (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-special-educational-needs-sen), which includes the number of pupils with SEN by primary type of need, however, this data set excludes independent special schools, meaning that it cannot be directly correlated with the 'Statements of SEN and EHC plans: England' data set As a result, we would like to request the following breakdown of data:

1. Please could you supply the name, job title, email address and telephone number of the commissioner with responsibility for children's SEN placements.

For questions 2 through 8, please supply the following information for the financial years 2019/20 to 2022/23, and where possible, budgeted or projected figures available for 2023/24. Please note that 'all 'Special School' categories' includes state-funded nursery, primary, and secondary special schools, non-maintained special schools, pupil referral units, and independent special schools Please note the category of 'Learning Disability' includes those with MLD, SLD, and PMLD.

2. Please provide the total number of children and young people for whom the authority maintains a statement of SEN or EHC Plan with a;

a. Learning disability

b. Autistic Spectrum Disorder

c. SEMH

3. Please provide the total number of children and young people for whom the authority maintains a statement of SEN or EHC Plan with a learning disability of;

a. Moderate Learning Difficulty (MLD)

b. Severe Learning Difficulty (SLD)

c. Profound Multiple Learning Disability (PMLD)

4. Please provide the total number of children and young people for whom the authority maintains a statement of SEN or EHC Plan in all 'Special school' categories with

a. Learning disability

b. Autistic Spectrum Disorder

c. SEMH

5. Please provide the total number of children and young people for whom the authority maintains a statement of SEN or EHC Plan in a 'Special school: independent special school' only with a;

a. Learning disability

b. Autistic Spectrum Disorder

c. SEMH

6. Please provide the Local Authority's total expenditure on SEN placements in 'Special school: independent special schools'

7. Of the total number of children and young people with a statement of SEN or EHC Plan who are attending all 'Special School' categories, please provide the number that are placed out of area (i.e. outside the LA boundary) with a;

a. Learning disability

b. Autistic Spectrum Disorder

c. SEMH

8. Please provide the total number of children and young people for whom the authority maintains a statement of SEN or EHC Plan in a 'Special school: independent special school' that are in day placements (no boarding component) and 38/52-week placements;

a. Day placements

b. 38/52-week placements

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. Amy Allcock, Children’s Strategic Commissioning – Team Manager, amy.allcock@lincolnshire.gov.uk

2.3.4. This data can be downloaded at Browse our open data, Data catalogue – Explore education statistics – GOV.UK (explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk)

As such, this information is exempt from disclosure in accordance with the exemption set out at Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which provides that a public authority need not comply with a request for disclosure under the Act where that information is reasonably accessible by other means.

5. a. Learning disability 2019/20: 42

2020/21: 35

2021/22: 40

2022/23: 21 (this includes CYP with downs syndrome, mild and severe learning, and communication, speech, and interaction)

b. Autistic Spectrum Disorder

2019/20: 50

2020/21: 63

2021/22: 75

2022/23: 58

c. SEMH

2019/20: 22

2020/21: 32

2021/22: 44

2022/23: 33

6. 19/20 £8,322,269 Actual

20/21 £11,504,965 Actual

21/22 £11,759,892 Actual

22/23 £12,203,521 Forecast

23/24 £11,983,203 Budget

7. We only have the data for the year group 2022/2023 For this question.

a. Learning disability 20

b. Autistic Spectrum Disorder 38

c. SEMH 29

8. a. Day placements

2019/2020: 62

2020/21: 82

2021/22: 121

2022/23: 105

b. 38/52-week placements

2019.2020: 55

2020/21: 54

2021/22: 52 (23x 52 weeks, 21x 38 weekly, 8x 38 termly)

2022/23: 20 (9x 52 weeks, 6x 38 weekly, 5x 38 termly)