Brief
Children at Cicely Haughton Primary School and Loxley Hall Secondary School – part of Manor Hall Academy Trust (MHAT) - were at risk of losing their residential education provision as the council looked to pull funding for the service.
Ofsted Outstanding residential education at Cicely Haughton and Loxley Hall provides critical support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), who are unable to access the resources provided by the local authority.
MHAT was looking for support in developing a robust campaign to prevent the withdrawal of funding for residential educational provision, which included, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and PR.
Strategy
The specific objective was to deliver MHAT a compelling strategy and action plan to support the case for retaining residential education funding. Our response to this was two-fold:
- Develop a powerful, evidence-based business and financial case for continued support, framed around the concept of ‘Spend to Save’; focus on outcomes, using both existing data and new stakeholder insights.
- Develop and deliver a hard-hitting, impactful communications and media strategy; capitalising on real-life case studies and building awareness and advocacy among key external and stakeholder groups.
Results
Our intensive review of the financial, as well as human cost of removing residential education funding, showcased a staggering three-fold increase in costs once alternative provision and related social costs were accounted for. Without residential education, and the support this provides to children and their families, the research also highlighted how more children would be taken into care at the expensive end of the continuum, thus impacting the social care budget for looked-after children, which is already in considerable deficit.
Following our independent review - including comprehensive stakeholder engagement - the case for maintaining funding for residential education at Cicely Haughton and Loxley Hall proved to be unquestionable.
With the extensive personal and financial evidence at the forefront, Clearsilver’s PR team engaged with local, regional and specialist education contacts to ensure that the case for retaining the service was covered by print, online and broadcast media.
Media coverage was secured on ITV, BBC and in the local and regional media surrounding both schools.
We’re delighted that, following our strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and communications outreach, the local authority has approved a two-year extension to retain residential education.
