21 July 2021

There is no national strategy to help children recover lost learning and promote emotional health and wellbeing, writes Charlotte Ramsden from the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.

07 July 2021

A report by the Institute for Government highlights the risks of a target culture - 'prioritising easy wins, ignoring important issues and manipulating data', says Claire Kober.

05 July 2021

A panel of experts brought together by the Localis think-tank discussed how to bring about economic growth at a local level.

24 June 2021

Aberdeen City Council has been warned to improve its housing and education services by the public spending watchdog.

23 June 2021

Graeme McDonald senses 'much of Whitehall has a greater understanding of our challenges than for many years, but is handcuffed by the inflexible, rigid approach imposed by a shortsighted Exchequer'.

16 June 2021

How the Government manages school catch-up policy is closely linked to the levelling up agenda, says Andrew Carter of Centre for Cities. And it needs to ensure it gets education right for both children and adults, he adds.

08 June 2021

Brendon Walsh says that - while an increasingly hybrid approach to work will reshape our centres and high streets - use of permitted development rights and pivoting towards education and emerging industries can support regeneration.

02 June 2021

In the aftermath of a recent religious scandal involving a schoolteacher, Claire Fox salutes the binmen who, she believes, have shown up how a climate of fear can make cowards of leaders – and threaten our democratic core values.

20 May 2021

Hampshire County Council has agreed to reviews its SEN services following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

19 May 2021

The Prime Minister has announced 57 local areas will share £830m to transform high streets as part of the Government's levelling up plans.

13 May 2021

Former local government secretary Sajid Javid has stressed the importance of devolution in the drive towards levelling up the country.

11 May 2021

A senior finance director has warned that spending on high needs threatens to ‘bankrupt councils’ as local authorities queue up for a bail out.

10 May 2021

Labour leader Keir Starmer has replaced his shadow housing secretary and brought in a high-flyer as shadow child poverty minister as part of a mini-reshuffle.

20 April 2021

The new president of the ADCS Charlotte Ramsden talks to Ann McGauran about her aim of making this the ‘year of resetting our ambition for children and young people in this country’.

09 April 2021

Councils will receive £280m to create new school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

08 April 2021

A Somerset MP has urged the county council to find £2.4m from existing coffers to settle a two-year dispute over SEN funding.

23 March 2021

Councillors in Stockport said they had been ‘treated with contempt’ after a joint director with Tameside MBC was appointed without their knowledge.

17 February 2021

Councils are facing renewed pressure from the Department for Education (DfE) to make cuts to bring their massive special educational needs deficits into line.

13 January 2021

Council leaders in Cheshire and their partners have written to the Government laying out their concerns about the vaccination rollout, the current lockdown arrangements and schools.

08 January 2021

A council has closed all of its nurseries to prevent the spread of COVID-19 despite the Government insisting they are ‘safe’.