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Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
24 October 2024
Lead MP
Catherine McKinnell
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
EconomyTaxation
Other Contributors: 51
At a Glance
Catherine McKinnell raised concerns about special educational needs and disabilities in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The minister announced a commitment to reforming the special educational needs and disabilities system, stating that every child deserves an opportunity to achieve and thrive. She acknowledged the current failure of the system as highlighted by the National Audit Office report, which has lost parents' trust. The Minister emphasised that while there is no quick fix or magic wand for this complex issue, the Government remains committed to regaining families’ confidence in the SEND system through a series of improvements. This includes early intervention and better resourcing in mainstream schools, strengthening accountability measures via Ofsted, and helping mainstream teachers gain SEND expertise. The goal is to create a sustainable system where mainstream schools cater for all children while special schools address only the most complex needs.
Munira Wilson
Lib Dem
Twickenham
Question
The MP questioned the Minister about the timeline for full reform as recommended by the National Audit Office, proposed a new national body for SEND to support complex needs and address postcode lottery issues. She also asked what steps are being taken towards early intervention training specialists and reducing school contributions before applying for an EHCP. Additionally, she inquired about speeding up state special schools' construction given local authorities’ £2 billion expenditure on independent ones and whether the Minister was lobbying for urgent funding from the Chancellor.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged the shadow's points and detailed ongoing reforms such as moving SEND within the school sector, prioritising early identification of needs, supporting inclusive education, changing Ofsted measures to account for special educational needs, and expanding childcare systems. She emphasised the need for patience while implementing changes that address financial deficits and improve outcomes.
Helen Hayes
Lab
Dulwich and West Norwood
Question
The MP highlighted the National Audit Office's findings of a £3.4 billion funding gap causing local authority financial strain, questioning how resources and accountability measures will be provided to address this crisis given the lack of process or funding for early identification.
Minister reply
In response, the Minister welcomed the new Education Committee Chair and outlined ongoing changes focusing on mainstream education inclusivity through measures such as training the early years workforce and expanding childcare systems. She emphasised the need for time while implementing urgent reforms without making unfulfillable promises.
James Wild
Con
North West Norfolk
Question
The Opposition welcomes the NAO report and supports greater inclusivity. However, there are concerns about the variation in the system and parents often having to battle for support. The Government has plans to continue with national standards and bring forward a standardised approach to EHCPs? Furthermore, the Minister is concerned that ending tax breaks on private schools will result in increased pressure on state schools and local authorities, leading to an increase in EHCP applications.
Minister reply
The Minister emphasised the vision for inclusive mainstream education by reorganizing the Department so that the SEND team sits within the school team. She highlighted changes such as curriculum assessment reviews, training for early years providers, and extending the Nuffield early language intervention programme. The Government is consulting on ending tax breaks on private schools to fund educational priorities like recruiting 6,500 new teachers, ensuring no adverse effects on children with special educational needs.
Meg Hillier
Lab Co-op
Hackney South and Shoreditch
Question
With nearly 5% of Hackney's children having an EHCP and more than a third of her reception class having special educational needs, the MP seeks to create alternative provision in spare school spaces. Will my hon. Friend meet me and people from Hackney or visit Hackney to see how this change can be accelerated?
Minister reply
The Minister thanked the MP for highlighting the need for appropriate school places and stated that she is open to meeting her to discuss where this can best be achieved in Hackney.
Ben Obese-Jecty
Con
Huntingdon
Question
Cambridgeshire county council is failing to meet the 20-week EHCP timeframe, causing significant challenges for families. What steps are the Government taking to address these unacceptable delays?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged the challenges and highlighted changes such as legislative measures to ensure local authorities can plan properly for places and admissions in their areas. She emphasised that all state schools should cooperate in providing places for children who need them.
Grahame Morris
Lab
Easington
Question
Children in Easington face unreasonably long waiting times for assessments for autism, ADHD, and other related conditions, with some having to wait up to five years. What steps is the Minister taking to reduce these unacceptably long waiting lists?
Minister reply
The Minister reiterated that the Government have inherited a terrible legacy on SEND provision and public services overall. She emphasised working collaboratively across Government to address huge backlogs, prioritising investment in mental health support and educational psychologists.
Alison Bennett
Lib Dem
Mid Sussex
Question
Two families whose children are suicidal due to unmet educational needs were met by the MP. With only 9.4% of EHCPs completed within 20 weeks, does the Minister agree that increasing the supply of educational psychologists is essential?
Minister reply
The Minister expressed sympathy for the cases and highlighted the importance of addressing mental health support and having educational psychologists available in schools to address these needs.
Rosie Wrighting
Lab
Kettering
Question
Given today’s shocking report, does the Minister agree that we need to rebuild the SEND system from the ground up?
Minister reply
The Minister agreed with rebuilding the SEND system from the ground up, emphasising a vision for inclusive mainstream education and significant change needed.
Alicia Kearns
Con
Rutland and Stamford
Question
Are the Government surging support to local authorities to help them process and complete EHCPs within statutory timeframes, especially due to increased numbers resulting from VAT on independent schools?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged significant challenges faced by councils processing applications and delivering for children with SEND after 14 years of a system letting down families and children. The Government is determined to address these issues.
Mark Sewards
Lab
Leeds South West and Morley
Question
Sadly, today’s report confirms what many parents in my constituency have been telling me since long before the election: the SEND system in this country is failing. Does the Minister agree that although there is no silver bullet, we must improve the SEND system and give people hope that it will improve?
Minister reply
Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is understandable that a huge number of hon. Members want to ask questions on this subject. We have inherited an appalling legacy of failure on this front. We have prioritised the issue and we are determined to fix it, but that will take time, as hon. Members have recognised, but we are moving at pace to fix the broken system.
Ellie Chowns
Green
North Herefordshire
Question
Parents and teachers in North Herefordshire tell me how concerned they are that special educational needs funding has stagnated for the last 10 years, while needs have increased. I visited Westfield school in my constituency, which is in desperate need of capital investment. It was allocated funding under the school rebuilding programme, but the implementation of that programme has been very slow. Can the Minister assure me that she remains committed to the programme, that it is on track, and that she will amend the way that the funding system works to incentivise mainstream inclusion?
Minister reply
On the hon. Lady’s final question, I can assure her that we are determined to prioritise mainstream inclusion, and to ensure that schools are supported. We will have the framework in place to encourage, incentivise and support schools to do what we know will create the best outcomes for the vast majority of children in this country: inclusion in a mainstream system where they can thrive.
Amanda Martin
Lab
Portsmouth North
Question
Given today’s report, and the shocking and devastating impact that the reality has on children, young people and their families, what message does the Minister have for the children and young people with SEND and their families in Portsmouth North?
Minister reply
We recognise how challenging this situation is for families who are not getting the support they need for special education needs or disabilities. We know that the system is broken—the National Audit Office report lays it out bare. We are determined to fix this; that is the message that I want to send.
Richard Holden
Con
Basildon and Billericay
Question
Within five months of entering office, this Government will introduce VAT on independent schools, with all the impact that may have on the state sector. How long will we have to wait for an actual plan for SEND children, rather than just political posturing around VAT?
Minister reply
The changes that we have set out and are determined to make all aim to improve the situation that we have inherited, after 14 years of neglect and decline under the previous Government. I have set out at length all the changes that we seek to make through legislation—and the changes we have already made—to our education system to ensure an inclusive mainstream, and high and rising standards and opportunities for all.
Darren Paffey
Lab
Southampton Itchen
Question
Today’s report is damning but not surprising. Independent SEND provision is growing in Southampton Itchen and across the country. Those places are needed, but councils are left at the mercy of market price and—often, when it comes to residential care—venture capitalists. That is wrong. Does the Minister agree that as part of whole-system reform we must return to basics, and that profiteering from SEND is the wrong approach? Will she meet me and my constituents to hear what they want from this whole-system reform?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend raises an important challenge that we are determined to address. We want mainstream inclusive education in our state school system, which every child should have access to and thrive in. However, we need specialist places for children with complex needs when that is the only place where their needs can be met, and a system that not only best serves the needs of children but is sustainable. I will take away his comments, and that will be part of our thinking as we go ahead.
Sarah Green
Lib Dem
Chesham and Amersham
Question
Other Members have asked about educational psychologists. There is a real shortage right now. Are the Government considering enabling other professionals to undertake some of the assessments to help unblock the waiting lists?
Minister reply
I thank the hon. Lady for the constructive way in which she put her question. I will take it away, and consider how it would fit into our broader plans to ensure that we have an education system that can meet the needs of children in terms of both their educational requirements and their mental health, special educational needs and disability requirements, within a broader health system that can meet those needs as well.
Alex McIntyre
Lab
Gloucester
Question
Far too many families in my constituency have come to me in tears, not just at the lack of support for their children with SEND but at a system that seems set up to stop them getting that support. How many appeals are successful because they should have got through the first time around? People feel they are being let down by the system, so will the Minister please ensure that our reformed system will not make families have to fight to get the support that their children so desperately need?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right: the system is letting down families and children, and creating a situation where not only are educational outcomes impacted by the poor response but too many families’ lives are affected by trying to deal with the system. That is why we are determined to reform it. The evidence shows very clearly that inclusive mainstream schools that meet demand will reduce the need for education, health and care plans, and the need for families to go through the process in the first place.
Bradley Thomas
Con
Bromsgrove
Question
What additional resources will the Government provide to Worcestershire county council, given what will undoubtedly be the profound and devastating impact of the Government’s education tax?
Minister reply
The changes that we are looking to make to remove the exemptions for private schools will be used to fund more teachers in our state sector and create the inclusive mainstream education that we know every child deserves.
Ben Goldsborough
Lab
South Norfolk
Question
SEND provision in Conservative-run Norfolk has collapsed after years of adversarial mismanagement by the county council. I welcome the steps that my hon. Friend has taken so far. Will she commit to recognising the value of co-production to ensure that SEND family voices are valued and money is spent wisely?
Minister reply
We are very clear that this reform is a journey that we want to go on with all those who support our children and families, whether that is teachers, school staff more broadly, education professionals, health professionals or local authorities. Everybody wants this to work better, and we need to work together to achieve it.
Claire Young
Lib Dem
Thornbury and Yate
Question
Data for autumn 2023 and spring 2024 shows that more than a third of children with an EHC plan were persistently absent—more than double the rate for pupils without identified SEND. Persistent absence is a very complex issue, and a multi-faceted approach is needed to tackle the problem. In the light of this damning report from the National Audit Office, does the Minister agree that we cannot have parents facing prosecution for the failings of the system? How will she work across Government to ensure that parents of children with SEND can be sure that their children will get the support that they need to attend school safely and receive the education that they deserve?
Minister reply
The Government have inherited an absence epidemic in this country. Last year, one in five children were persistently absent from school, missing a day every fortnight or more. We know that strong foundations are rooted in attendance at school. Children cannot receive an outstanding education that unlocks opportunities if they are not in school. I recognise the challenge that the hon. Lady has set out. It is important that we work together to create an inclusive mainstream education system that every child wants to attend and feels they belong to, so that those opportunities are unlocked for them, as they should be for every child in this country.
Lola McEvoy
Lab
Darlington
Question
I thank the Minister for her statement on this damning report on SEND. Last week, the Minister and the Secretary of State visited my constituency. We went to Mount Pleasant Primary, a shining example of inclusive mainstream SEND provision in the state sector. Does the Minister agree with me and the teachers there that children with physical conditions and disabilities could be referred for an EHCP by their GP much earlier, so that they arrive at school with everything they need in place, ready to excel in their education?
Minister reply
The visit to that school in my hon. Friend’s constituency was wonderful. The school is one of many examples of the provision of inclusive mainstream education. We need such provision to be in schools in every community and available to every child. She rightly recognises the challenges of co-ordinating between health services and education provision, and the vital importance of those systems working together to achieve outcomes for children. I will certainly take away her specific suggestion and share it with my colleagues in the Department for Health and Social Care.
Nick Timothy
Con
West Suffolk
Question
Parents in my constituency are not interested in what the Minister thinks about the Conservative party. They want us to work together to make things better. We all know that a problem with EHCPs has led to a tripling of costs for county councils. In the Westminster Hall debate that the Minister took part in with me recently, she was much more constructive than she is being today, and I would like to believe that that is the approach that she wants to take to these issues. Does she have a timescale for the reform of EHCPs?
Minister reply
I appreciate the hon. Gentleman’s comments, and I will always work cross-party with colleagues to achieve the best for all children in this country, but levelling the blame for the current situation at a Government only five months old cannot be accepted; the inheritance that we have taken on cannot be underestimated. We will continue to work on putting right what has been failing for the past 14 years, and the Department for Education is moving at pace on work to that end. We will make specific suggestions for legislative changes, and for any other necessary systemic changes, in due course.
Aylesbury
Question
Many concerned parents wrote to me at the start of term because they had finally been given a school place for their children with special educational needs but had no transport to get their child to and from school. Will the Minister reassure my constituents that we will take measures to ensure that every child with special educational needs has a reliable and safe means of getting to and from school?
Minister reply
Transport to school is the responsibility of the local authority, and families need to work with their local authorities to ensure that they are not disadvantaged in getting their children to school by transport. I appreciate that that is a challenge— our transport system, too, is in crisis after 14 years of Conservative Government—but we will continue to work across Government to ensure that all our public services meet the needs of families. In the interim, my hon. Friend’s constituents should work with the local authority to ensure that they get the transport they require for their children’s educational needs.
Calum Miller
Lib Dem
Bicester and Woodstock
Question
Zak is nine years old. He is one of dozens of children in my constituency who have been failed by the SEND system. Zak was traumatised by his experience in an inappropriate school setting, causing his learning to regress and both his parents to stop work. Oxfordshire county council has an accumulated high needs deficit of £56 million because of inadequate funding, which has failed families such as Zak’s. Has the Minister pressed the Treasury to increase that funding and maintain the statutory override in next week’s Budget?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman tempts me into commentary on next week’s Budget, in which I cannot indulge him.
Julie Minns
Lab
Carlisle
Question
I speak both as a parent whose child was badly failed in SEND provision under the last Government, and as an MP whose surgeries have been visited on every single occasion by a parent who is struggling not just to get an EHCP but to get from a school the flexibility that matches their child’s need. I say respectfully to Opposition Members—including the shadow Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds)—that until and unless you have walked in my shoes and the shoes of your constituents, you should show a little humility and decorum in how you respond on this issue. In the review, will the Minister encourage schools to be more flexible in their SEND provision for children who need it?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend speaks with great passion and compassion on behalf of her constituents, and I agree with everything that she says. I reiterate that what she outlines is the epitome of what we are seeking to achieve on inclusive mainstream education, so that it can meet the needs of the vast majority of children with special educational needs and disabilities in our country.
Bob Blackman
Con
Harrow East
Question
Children with special educational needs in Harrow face long journeys to get to the schools they need in order to deal with their problems, something that the previous Government recognised. The three MPs in the area, on a cross-party basis, the council and all the headteachers agreed that there was the need for a new special educational needs school in Harrow. The site has been acquired, but since the general election everything has gone quiet. I do not expect the Minister to give an update here and now, but will she undertake to review the position and come back to the three MPs and the council to ensure that we provide that school for the benefit of the children of Harrow?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to identify the current significant transport requirement to meet the needs of children. Obviously, the way that we wish to address that is to ensure that there is inclusive mainstream education available in every community for every child, and we are working at pace to achieve that. The special school is under review and we will report back as soon as possible.
Question
What more can the Minister do, working with her ministerial colleagues, to ensure that integrated care boards such as those in Cheshire and Warrington meet their part of the statutory obligation of 20 weeks for EHCPs?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the need for the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, and all those working to provide the services that children and families rely on, to work together to achieve that statutory obligation. I will take his question away and feed it back to my colleagues in the Health Department.
Vikki Slade
Lib Dem
Mid Dorset and North Poole
Question
I would like to raise the issue of children being off-rolled and put into alternative provision. I speak as not only an MP but a parent who this has happened to, and I have a constituency meeting on Saturday where it is the subject. Is the Minister aware that children who are put in alternative provision are entitled only to 15 hours a week of education? There is absolutely no way they can recover and go on to achieve properly on 15 hours a week. I ask the Minister to consider how that fits with the new curriculum plan.
Minister reply
We are looking at the system in the round, which includes ensuring that we have inclusive mainstream education, and making sure that schools are required to work with local authorities on admissions and off-rolling, so that there is the provision within communities that children rely on. Where special schools or alternative provision is required, it is important to ensure there is an opportunity to break down the barriers for young people. Ideally, the vast majority of children can go back into the mainstream system as part of that inclusive provision. I will take away the hon. Member’s specific query. It is an issue we are looking at as part of the wider system.
Sarah Coombes
Lab
West Bromwich
Question
I know from speaking to families in Oldbury, Oakham and other parts of my constituency, just what a SEND crisis the last Government left us with. Even when children finally get their EHCPs, parents still feel as if they are having to fight for every bit of support that they need. We cannot fix that overnight, but can the Minister set out what steps she is taking to give families in Sandwell some hope that things will change?
Minister reply
Although the urgent question today has come about because of a damning report from the National Audit Office, which lays bare the huge challenge we face in this area, my main purpose in responding—an opportunity I am grateful for—is to restore hope for families: it is a priority for this Government and we are determined to fix it. That should give hope to the constituents whom my hon. Friend serves.
Martin Vickers
Con
Brigg and Immingham
Question
On a recent visit to a school in my constituency, it was put to me that not all schools fully participate in dealing with special needs children, and my casework over the years substantiates that. What efforts is the Minister making to ensure that all schools participate fully?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is right to identify that all schools are part of solving this huge challenge that far too many children and families face. That is why we have made changes to how Ofsted assesses schools, changes that are still in progress; it is why we are carrying out the curriculum and assessment review and looking at attendance measures; and it is why we are looking at local authority co-operation with schools, to make sure that all schools within a local area can work together to ensure that inclusive mainstream education is available for all.
Sam Rushworth
Lab
Bishop Auckland
Question
A mother in my constituency came to see me. Her son has been off-rolled from mainstream primary school, which she would like him to attend, and offered only a distant special school that is entirely inappropriate for his needs. She would like to know why Durham county council is prepared to spend £30,000 a year on transport for her son to attend a school that she does not feel is appropriate for him, but will not spend the same amount on a classroom assistant who could help him to be in mainstream school. That is happening under rules introduced by the previous Government. Will the Minister meet me to discuss this?
Minister reply
I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend. He has outlined just one example of how the system is broken and needs to be fixed.
Jessica Brown-Fuller
Lib Dem
Chichester
Question
Parents and children in Chichester have lost confidence in the SEND system, with families effectively pitted against each other and against Conservative-led West Sussex county council, which this year delivered only 10% of its EHCPs within the 20-week statutory framework. Does the Minister agree that is unacceptable, and will she meet me and other West Sussex MPs to discuss this specific issue that West Sussex county council seems to have?
Minister reply
The hon. Lady has outlined how the system is broken. We know it is broken. We want to fix it, and I am happy to work with colleagues across the House in order to do so, so I would be happy to meet her, as she suggests.
Debbie Abrahams
Lab
Oldham East and Saddleworth
Question
This damning report will come as no surprise to too many families across Oldham and Saddleworth. Given that there is a difference of nearly 20% between SEND children being in education and training and non-SEND children, what are we doing to ensure that SEND provision and support is available in foundation apprenticeships?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend highlights the fact that not only is the system creating stress and failing far too many children and families, but it is not creating the outcomes that we want to see for every child, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. I will raise the important point she has made with my colleague in the Department of Health who has responsibility for apprenticeships.
Gregory Stafford
Con
Farnham and Bordon
Question
On Friday afternoon, alongside my right hon. Friends the Members for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) and for Godalming and Ash (Jeremy Hunt), I arranged a meeting with parents, governors and teachers at independent schools. They were unanimous that imposing an education tax partway through an academic year will have disastrous impacts on the education of every child, but especially those with special educational needs. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of Labour’s education tax on the caseload of EHCPs, and on the capacity of local authorities such as Surrey and Hampshire to meet them?
Minister reply
The Treasury will produce its impact assessment as part of the normal course of implementing new taxation, and the hon. Gentleman can refer to that assessment once it is published.
Rachel Blake
Lab Co-op
Cities of London and Westminster
Question
I have been working with parents of children with SEND for a number of months now. They talk to me about their children’s experiences in mainstream schools and the fact that the support has not been what it should be, even though they are looking for an inclusive education for their children. Can the Minister outline what support mainstream schools might need in the near future in order to provide that truly inclusive education to so many children who have been let down?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend raises an important point: it is right that we require schools to provide inclusive mainstream education, and that we put in place the workforce, the training, and all the support that is necessary for that to be delivered.
Tessa Munt
Lib Dem
Wells and Mendip Hills
Question
Demand for EHCPs for children in Somerset has tripled in six years, and the county’s SEND budget is forecast to be in deficit by £290 million in the next five years. Previously, Somerset spent, on average, £22,000 per child with an EHCP, but now that is £18,000. So this is not about overspending; it is about the increasing number of children needing help. As a start, could the Minister look at the current legislation, which lacks clear definitions of which children should be assessed or funded? This ambiguity, especially post covid, has led to a huge and rapid increase in the number of children needing support.
Minister reply
The hon. Lady raises an important point. We will be looking at the system as a whole, and at any legislation that needs to be amended or brought in to achieve our vision for an inclusive mainstream education that not only provides education for all children regardless of their special educational needs and disabilities, but provides specialist places for those with the most complex needs that cannot be met within mainstream education.
Melanie Onn
Lab
Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes
Question
Last year alone, my local authority of North East Lincolnshire spent £1.3 million sending 114 children out of area to special educational needs settings. Could the Minister reassure constituents across North East Lincolnshire and in my constituency of Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes that the actions she is taking will not only support local authorities and reduce these additional costs, but provide the kind of education their children need closer to home?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend sets out very well the vision that we are seeking to achieve for all children. The purpose of all the changes we are making in our education system is to ensure that inclusive mainstream education is available to all children and that there are specialist places for children with the most complex needs.
Greg Smith
Con
Mid Buckinghamshire
Question
With more and more children requiring SEND provision, the scale of the challenge is undoubtedly large. The previous Conservative Government did offer a beacon of hope for children in Buckinghamshire, with the previous Secretary of State confirming funding for a new SEND school in the county. Can the Minister confirm whether those funds are still secure and whether Buckinghamshire will still get that new SEND school?
Minister reply
As the hon. Member is aware, we are looking at the whole system in the round to ensure that we have the inclusive mainstream provision that the vast majority of children will not only benefit from but do better in, and that we have specialist places where they are needed.
Gareth Snell
Lab Co-op
Stoke-on-Trent Central
Question
I draw the House’s attention to my registered interest as a governor of a special educational needs school. The Minister has rightly pointed out the failure of the SEN system over many years, but it is important that we recognise the herculean effort made by teachers and support staff in schools, and it is not those individuals who have failed young people. Further to her answer to my hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough), could the Minister outline how she will engage with representative bodies of teachers and support staff in schools to ensure that they are included in the rescue plan?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We in government cannot deliver any of the change we want to see; it will be delivered by the teachers, the support staff, the education professionals and the health professionals in our system.
Sarah Dyke
Lib Dem
Glastonbury and Somerton
Question
Somerset has the third highest rate of school exclusions and the second highest rate of suspensions in England for children with SEND. Does the Minister agree with today’s National Audit Office report confirming that the Government must develop a whole-system approach, to ensure that the most vulnerable students in Glastonbury and Somerton get the education they deserve?
Minister reply
I absolutely agree with the National Audit Office. Although it is a damning report, we recognise much of what it says and are determined to fix it and put it right in the way the hon. Lady suggests.
Andy MacNae
Lab
Rossendale and Darwen
Question
SEND is the single greatest issue facing schools in my constituency, and I have had far too many heartbreaking conversations with families who are not getting the support they need. Does my hon. Friend agree that supportive early intervention and diagnosis is the single most effective way of reducing this demand and ensuring better outcomes?
Minister reply
I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Early diagnosis and early intervention are known to significantly improve the opportunities and outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities, but one of the biggest challenges in this space is the battle that many families face with a system that is letting them down.
Clive Jones
Lib Dem
Wokingham
Question
Special needs education was underfunded by the previous Government, affecting many families in my constituency. I know that the Government have been left with a £22 billion hole in the country’s finances, but will the Minister ensure that there is an increase in funding for SEND education in the local government settlement at the end of this year?
Minister reply
I recognise the challenge that the hon. Gentleman raises. He tempts me into anticipating the Budget statement next week, but I will say that we recognise the challenges that many local authorities are facing and are alive to those concerns.
Jayne Kirkham
Lab Co-op
Truro and Falmouth
Question
The adversarial system has caused such damage and upset. Can the Minister confirm that she will look towards a system in which expectations are clear and co-produced, and will she also look at the funding formula more generally, because some places have far less high needs and direct funding for students than others even though they have to cover much greater distances?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend raises a number of issues and I fear we are running out of time to give them the response they deserve. I will be happy to respond in more detail in writing because she does raise some important issues that we are determined to address.
Luke Taylor
Lib Dem
Sutton and Cheam
Question
Projections show a cumulative deficit of over £4 billion on educational balance sheets by 2026, and the override mechanism ending, which will allocate those deficits to county balance sheets. This is a pending disaster for local authorities, and the report suggests that it will push 43% into bankruptcy. The report’s conclusion is that the SEND system, if unreformed, is financially unsustainable, yet we have not heard meaningful plans for reform. Will the Minister take this opportunity to commit to the national body for SEND that was included in the Liberal Democrats manifesto, which will end the postcode lottery, ensure funding for higher needs students and address the urgent funding crisis for local government?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is right that the NAO has identified that the system is currently unsustainable, and not only is it financially unsustainable but it is not sustainable for the children and their families that are being let down. The Government are determined to fix this and are working at pace to do so.
Adam Thompson
Lab
Erewash
Question
A whole 10% of my constituency casework relates to SEND provision, so I recently issued a public letter to Conservative-led Derbyshire county council expressing my deep concern over the state of its provision as many affected families feel voiceless. What steps will the Government take to ensure that councils, including Derbyshire county council, actually fulfil their responsibilities to children and families?
Minister reply
Councils are at the forefront of seeking to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families, and they are being let down by a system that is broken and that the NAO shows is completely unsustainable. So we will work at pace in government, working with teachers, parents, schools, school support staff, the health service and local authorities to ensure that children get the opportunities they deserve.
Richard Foord
Lib Dem
Honiton and Sidmouth
Question
Devon county council projects an overspend on special educational needs of £38.5 million. That is explained partly by additional travel costs in rural areas such as mine in mid and east Devon. The last Conservative Government threatened that such an overspend would put at risk the so-called safety valve for Devon. How will the Minister help enable good-quality SEND support to be delivered closer to home?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is right that the solution to many of these challenges is to create inclusive mainstream education in every community, so that every child can benefit from it and thrive.
Andrew Cooper
Lab
Mid Cheshire
Question
Parents want the best for their children, schools want to deliver the best for their children and local authorities want to provide the best for their children, but the system sets everybody up to fail. It is adversarial instead of being person-centred, and it actively incentivises bad outcomes. I am pleased to hear the Minister say that we need to rebuild the system from the ground up, but does she agree that that needs to go hand in hand with rebuilding child and adolescent mental health services and improving the speed of diagnosis for autism and ADHD? Will she commit to working with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to help deliver that?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes the case very well. I agree that we need to work at pace to improve the mental health support available for young people, to improve the availability of educational psychologists and to work across government, including with colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Care, to ensure that we are unlocking opportunity for all.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
I thank the Minister very much for her answers to the questions and for always trying to be helpful. Movilla high school in my constituency has increased its enrolments from 402 to 600 pupils. That is because staff have worked hard, but also because education authority support has enabled the school to extend the special provision for pupils with autism to include 10 and 11-year-olds. It has established two nurture classes in the mainstream. Does the Minister agree that additional funding to create SEND units within the mainstream for the pupils who need support is a way forward? Will she consider that suggestion to make lives better?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is, as always, characteristically constructive in his contribution, and I thank him for that. I am more than happy to take away his suggestion and consider it as part of our wider reform of the system.
Derby North
Question
There are more than 20 cases in my constituency of children with special educational needs and disabilities who are missing out on care and school placements, and I am meeting the council about them tomorrow. I thank the Minister for speaking with me this week about the concerns of families. Can we make it a priority to help local authorities to offer these children the best possible placements?
Minister reply
I wish my hon. Friend well in her meeting tomorrow. We know the challenges in the system, and they are laid bare in the National Audit Office report. There is no shortage of will right across the House to get this right and to put the system right. As we draw to the end of these questions, I must reiterate that it will take patience, because there is no quick fix to the situation we have inherited. However, we are determined to fix it, and we will do so on an ongoing basis and as quickly as possible.
Dave Robertson
Lab
Lichfield
Question
Saxon Hill academy in my constituency does amazing work to support young people between the ages of two and 19 with physical disabilities and complex needs, but for many of the students, it is much more than a school. It is literally a home away from home, due to its sleepover club, which allows pupils to stay at the school overnight one night a week. The funding for that provision was extended for two years in December last year. Can the Minister assure me that as part of the Government’s SEND review, we will look at sustainable funding for such additional provision?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend raises an important point. We need to move to a more sustainable footing in the longer term and make sure that councils can plan ahead. That is something we are looking at.
Emily Darlington
Lab
Milton Keynes Central
Question
An entire generation of Milton Keynes children with SEND needs has been let down by the previous Government. In addition, the cuts to local councils and schools have made the situation much worse, particularly in respect of high-level teaching assistants, who are crucial to ensuring early detection of and ongoing support for children with SEND in mainstream education. Will the Minister ensure that the school support staff who do that important work are included in this essential review to support children in Milton Keynes?
Minister reply
Absolutely. I am always very careful to say that we thank and applaud both the teachers in our schools and the incredible support staff, who not only support teachers in their role but ensure that every school can function and provide the opportunities that we know will enable all children to thrive.
Shadow Comment
Munira Wilson
Shadow Comment
The shadow Minister criticised the Conservative Government's failure to address systemic issues in SEND provision, citing the National Audit Office report which revealed that half of children wait longer than the statutory 20 weeks for an education health and care plan. She called for whole-system reform with a timeline from the Minister, proposals for a national body supporting children with complex needs, steps towards early intervention including specialist training and assessment, quicker building of state special schools, and an urgent cash injection in next week’s Budget to address financial deficits.
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