By Local Democracy Reporter: Christine Sexton
MORE than 200 children with special educational needs are sent outside Thurrock if they need residential accommodation, a report has revealed.
Only 74 per cent of placements for specialist residential centres are within 20 miles of the borough, a report to the children’s services overview and scrutiny committee has said.
A total of 204 children – 11.3 per cent of youngsters require residential care – are allocated places outside the borough.
The report said: “Where possible we aim to source provision within or close to the borough. However, where a child or young person’s needs cannot be met in the local area out of borough placements are used. These are generally due to specialist needs and are usually residential placements due to the distance from home.
” This can make it more difficult for these children and young people to feel and be part of their local communities, and to build a peer group of friends that will help to sustain them into adulthood. It should be noted however that often the complexity of needs means that there are a limited number of providers able to meet these needs and provision is only available from a few providers who may be based at a distance.”
Families face long journeys, in excess of 20 miles to visit their children and placements away from families can leave children vulnerable.
Barry Johnson, Thurrock councillor responsible for children’s services and education, said some cases meant residential accommodation could not always be provided by the borough.
He said: “Of course we as an authority would prefer to keep all children and young people near to home wherever possible but as the report suggests it is the complexity of the need that dictates where a child or young person can receive the most suitable provision and sadly that is not always right here in Thurrock.
“However, the SEND improvement board of which I am part, will drive our thoughts and processes for ensuring we provide the very best outcome whilst leaving no stone unturned in attempting to offer those more complex provisions as near to Thurrock as possible.”
