Supporting our children and young people with SEND

One in five children and young people in Hackney now have an Educational, Health and Care Plan or receive special educational needs support. While we, like many other councils, are facing extreme financial pressures, we strive to support every child and young person with additional needs to live happy, healthy lives. We know we can only achieve this by working together and investing our resources carefully, to offer flexible, personalised support. 

Building inclusive environments that offer the right support at the right time is the focus of our new draft Hackney SEND and Inclusion Strategy, co-produced with our community and shared earlier this autumn. This builds on the work we’ve been doing since 2020, not just in mainstream education, but also in our special schools, to deliver 300 additional specialist places by 2026. 

This October, we opened our newest additional resource provision at Sebright Primary School, offering 24 new places for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs, while allowing them to stay connected with their classmates in mainstream lessons. 

Our plans to expand Ickburgh School onto the site of the former Baden Powell Primary School are progressing, with a proposed expansion to offer 48 new places for autistic children with severe learning difficulties, providing access to tailored support closer to home. 

We’re shaping our new Alternative Learning Service to encourage inclusion, putting children and young people at the heart of our approach and prioritising their sense of belonging and wellbeing.

And our approach is working. I am delighted to say that outcomes for children and young people with SEND in Hackney are above the average national figures. 

But none of this would be possible without the incredible work and support of all our partners, professionals, parents, carers and our children and young people themselves. 

Our Future Ready! Preparing for Adulthood event reminded us of the passion and knowledge of our professionals, and the love and care of families. It was inspiring to see families and young people join us to share stories, learn about the support available in Hackney, and connect with the wider community. 

This week, we were delighted to host Minister for Schools Georgia Gould and Dame Meg Hillier MP at Ickburgh School, to showcase all the work we are doing to meet the needs of our pupils with SEND and to set out our hopes for the future. 

We will continue to share our story with central government, and to work together across our education, health and care partnerships, so that every family with a child with SEND can access the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney, and Cllr Anya Sizer, Deputy cabinet member for families, early years and SEND