Easy read
version (PDF - 554KB): Mencap have produced an easy-read
version of this report, designed to be accessible for people with a
learning disability. The easy-read version does not contain all the
detail of the NAO report, but is a summary of the main points in
the report which we think are of most interest to young people.
Readers should therefore refer to the main report for the full
presentation of the NAO’s findings
"Giving the correct support to young people with special
needs could help them lead more independent lives in the future and
reduce longer-term costs to the public purse. Yet a lack of
understanding of the relationship between needs, costs and outcomes
can lead to students not getting the right support, and risks
compromising value for money."
Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, 4
November 2011
A report by the National Audit Office has shown that, where
comparable data is available, course outcomes for young people aged
16-25 receiving special educational support are improving at
similar or better rates than those for all students within this age
group. This performance has been achieved while known average
special education funding per head has decreased in schools and
further education colleges.
However, parents, students and local authorities do not always
have the information they need to choose the school or college that
best meets the young person's needs given the available funding.
Assessments of young people's needs vary in quality, and local
authorities do not always consider the full costs to the public
purse of different placement options. In addition, there are wide
variations between local areas in the percentages of young people
studying in different provider types (such as schools and
colleges), and in the availability and use of specialist
provision.
While the amount spent on providing special education support to
young people aged 16-25 is not fully known, it is estimated that
around £640 million is spent annually. The Department for Education
has reasonable oversight of specific funding streams and the
general performance of special education providers. However, the
extent to which the Department and local authorities understand the
full cost of the provision they fund, and how well it meets the
needs of young people, varies depending on the type of school or
college. The ability of public bodies to influence and intervene in
case of poor performance also varies between different provider
types.
The Department, in its 2011 Green Paper, has proposed
significant changes to special education from birth to the age of
25. The NAO report suggests that providing appropriate support for
young people with special needs has the potential to deliver
longer-term benefits for students and to the public purse.
The NAO has called on the Department to address current
limitations in information, and better understand the relationships
between needs, costs and outcomes so that it can secure value for
money from its expenditure in this area.
Publication details:
HC: 1585, 2010-2012
ISBN: 9780102976762