Sandwell Council's Cabinet has approved a new SEND Sufficiency Strategy.
It sets out how the council and its partners will make sure there are enough school places and support services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) over the coming years.
The strategy comes as demand for SEND support continues to grow across the borough. There are currently 4,064 children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in Sandwell, and this number is forecast to rise to 7,750 by 2029 and more than 10,700 by 2031.
The new strategy focuses on making sure children and young people can access the right support as early as possible and, wherever appropriate, closer to home and within their local community.
SEND sufficiency is about making sure there are enough places, enough services and the right support available to meet the needs of children and young people now and in the future.
The strategy shows that Sandwell currently has 1,013 special school places, but forecasts indicate that 1,163 places will be needed by September 2027. Overall demand is expected to require around 1,440 specialist placements by 2027, including independent special school provision.
Demand is also growing for specialist support within mainstream schools. As part of its planning work, the council is working to identify mainstream schools that could potentially provide additional accommodation for future targeted SEND provision, helping more children access support close to where they live.
The strategy supports the council's wider SEND vision that every child and young person should receive the right support earlier, within strong and inclusive local communities. It also reflects key principles from Sandwell's emerging SEND Strategy, including putting children and young people at the centre of decision-making, listening to families, improving inclusion, strengthening local provision and making best use of public resources.
Councillor Jack Sabharwal, Sandwell Council's Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said:
"Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, achieve and thrive."
"We know demand for SEND support is increasing rapidly. Today there are more than 4,000 children and young people in Sandwell with an Education, Health and Care Plan, and forecasts show that number could rise to more than 10,700 by 2031."
"That is why planning ahead is so important. This strategy will help us make sure we have the right number of places, the right services and the right support available for children and families."
"Our aim is to provide support earlier, closer to home and within inclusive local communities wherever possible. We want children and young people to be able to attend schools in their communities, build friendships locally and access the support they need to succeed."
"The strategy is also about listening to families and working closely with our education, health and care partners so that services are shaped around the needs of children and young people."
The strategy highlights the need to reduce reliance on costly out-of-area placements by expanding local provision, strengthening support in mainstream schools and developing more specialist capacity within Sandwell.
Over the next five years, the council will work with schools, academy trusts, health partners and families to deliver the strategy, ensuring Sandwell has a sustainable and inclusive SEND system that can meet future demand while continuing to improve outcomes for children and young people.
The report can be found on the council website.