May 14, 2019, Barrow Mail: March to protest against special needs 'funding crisis' https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/17640473.march-to-protest-against-special-needs-funding-crisis/ PROTESTERS are due to march against a special needs "funding crisis" in schools. Teachers, parents and politicians in Barrow are set to join a national campaign to raise awareness of cuts to special educational needs and disabilities budgets. They will march from the railway station to the town hall, where speakers including education experts and councillors will address the marchers. It will coincide with a number of other marches taking place across the country and has been organised by Barrow SEN teaching assistant Mai Harrison, Cumbria County Council autism liaison Nicola ___ and Abi Buckingham, of Aura 11, a special needs store in Barrow. … Mrs Harrison said: "We want to raise awareness of the cuts they have made to special educational needs and disability across the country. … A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We have increased spending on high needs from £5billion [$6.4 US dollars] in 2013 to £6.3billion [$8.1B US dollars] this year but we recognise the challenges facing local authorities and in December provided an extra £250million up to 2020 to help them manage high needs cost pressures. "We have also provided councils with an extra £100million [$129M US dollars] funding to create more SEND places in mainstream schools, colleges and special schools. …
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