Government Safety Valve funding received from Department for Education to resolve Dedicated Schools Grant deficit

We have now entered into a 'safety valve' agreement with the Department for Education to resolve a historical deficit of our Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). 

Like many other councils across the UK, Barnsley Council found itself with a deficit due to the growth in demand for special educational needs (SEN) provision greatly exceeding the government funding provided over the past eight years.  

The DfE has committed to paying the council £22.9 million over five years to 2026/27. This funding will be provided in instalments and subject to continued satisfactory progress, in line with a dedicated management plan.

Cllr Trevor Cave, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children’s Services, said:

“In order to achieve our ambitions set out in Barnsley’s SEND Strategy it is important that we have sufficient funding from the government to achieve this.  Funding for a lot of services for children and young people with SEND is through the Dedicated Schools Grant/High Needs funding block and Safety Valve funding from the government is targeted at councils where there is a deficit which has grown over time.

“The 2014 SEND reforms increased the age range eligibility up to 25 years old, and across the country, councils have seen large deficits build up as the number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) increased but without the increase in funding to match this.

“The high needs funding deficit has been a significant financial challenge for us.  We welcome this opportunity to work with DfE on the Safety Valve programme to reduce the impact on the council and allow us to move to a more sustainable position.

“The council has been through a rigorous process over a number of months in order to be accepted onto the programme and we are pleased that this announcement demonstrates confidence in our plans and our strategy to identify and meet needs earlier and for children and young people to educated in their local mainstream school and if this is not possible, specialist provision closer to home. 

“We’ve recently been successful in a joint bid with Sheffield Council, to provide a school for SEND pupils where 100 places will be available for Barnsley children and young people. The safety valve funding will help us continue our ambition for every Barnsley child to reach their full potential in a place of possibilities.”

The agreement can be read in full at www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-very-high-deficit-intervention

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