Financial appraisal Option Cost (to the LA) 1. Do nothing £0 cost neutral no change to current position. – It must be stressed that this option would have financial implications as it would mean that any savings from SLCN would have to come solely from the IDS Outreach model 2. Close DSLP settings Potential savings of around £225k BUT if this were and move resource solely implemented on a phased basis, allowing to outreach existing pupils to finish their Key Stage, this would take between 2-4 years to realise and would provide decreasing value as numbers diminished. Given that the LA has identified a need for resourced provision places, the lack of such placements would also continue to lead to expensive out of county placements for learners unable to cope in mainstream. This would easily outweigh any potential savings. There would also be the financial risk of current DSLP learners seeking out of county specialist placement at significant cost. 3. Re-designate DSLP Unit cost per place would likely increase from the current settings as Communication £8.5k to an estimated unit cost of £10k but for a different & Interaction (C&I) level and category of need. This is not a fair comparison. Resource Bases For those learners would would previously have attended a DSLP setting this could eventually represent a funding reduction of approximately -£225k (as with Option 1 above) in the comparative cost of providing outreach as opposed to DSLP placement. This option minimises the financial risk of current DSLP learners seeking out of county specialist placement at significant cost, as they could be accommodated within the C&I settings. 4. Move away from £0 cost neutral no change to current position. – separate Key Stage 1 & 2 Provision - create primary settings 5. Transfer the If implemented alongside Option 1 i.e. transfer as DSLP – management of DSLP settings this would likely increase the operating costs as settings to schools schools might seek to recover additional funding towards costs not currently covered in the SLA. If It were implemented alongside Option 3 it would come at no additional cost.
Financial appraisal Option Cost (to the LA) 1. Do nothing £0 cost neutral – no change to current position. It must be stressed that this option would have financial implications as it would mean that any savings from SLCN would have to come solely from the IDS Outreach model 2. Close DSLP settings and move resource solely to outreach Potential savings of around £225k BUT if this were implemented on a phased basis, allowing existing pupils to finish their Key Stage, this would take between 2-4 years to realise and would provide decreasing value as numbers diminished. Given that the LA has identified a need for resourced provision places, the lack of such placements would also continue to lead to expensive out of county placements for learners unable to cope in mainstream. This would easily outweigh any potential savings. There would also be the financial risk of current DSLP learners seeking out of county specialist placement at significant cost. 3. Re-designate DSLP settings as Communication & Interaction (C&I) Resource Bases Unit cost per place would likely increase from the current £8.5k to an estimated unit cost of £10k but for a different level and category of need. This is not a fair comparison. For those learners would would previously have attended a DSLP setting this could eventually represent a funding reduction of approximately -£225k (as with Option 1 above) in the comparative cost of providing outreach as opposed to DSLP placement. This option minimises the financial risk of current DSLP learners seeking out of county specialist placement at significant cost, as they could be accommodated within the C&I settings. 4. Move away from separate Key Stage 1 & 2 Provision - create primary settings £0 cost neutral – no change to current position. 5. Transfer the management of DSLP settings to schools If implemented alongside Option 1 – i.e. transfer as DSLP settings this would likely increase the operating costs as schools might seek to recover additional funding towards costs not currently covered in the SLA. If It were implemented alongside Option 3 it would come at no additional cost.