ABSTRACT
During the past decade, the roles and responsibilities of local education authorities have become reduced and have changed direction in many areas (see the chapter by Sue Fagg), although they still retain a significant responsibility for pupils with special educational needs (SEN). The extent of their responsibilities is surprising as SEN has, according to 100 Ofsted inspections between 1996 and 2000, consistently been one of its less successful areas of work (Ofsted, 2001b). Nevertheless, despite the moves towards the selfmanagement and self-evaluation of individual schools (MacGilchrist, Mortimore, Savage and Beresford, 1995; MacGilchrist, Myers and Reed, 1997; Caldwell and Spinks, 1988) it would be unfortunate if the local knowledge and expertise that LEAs have built up in supporting children with special educational needs was lost (Mittler, 2000; Ainscow, Farrell, Tweddle and Malkie, 1999; Johnstone and Warwick, 1999).
