SEND Provision 2025-02-05
2025-02-05
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Hertfordshire is experiencing significant growth in the number of children with education, health and care plans. The county receives third lowest SEND funding nationally despite these challenges.
I draw Members’ attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Hertfordshire currently receives the third lowest special educational needs and disability (SEND) funding in the country, despite the number of children in the county with education, health and care plans growing by 223% in the last decade. What steps is the Minister taking with her Cabinet colleagues to create a fairer funding system that ensures that all children, wherever they live across the country, can have the funding they need to support their education?
I recognise the hon. Gentleman’s interest in this area, and the interest of Members from right across the House in the urgent need to reform the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system. However, I gently observe that we inherited the funding mechanism from the previous Government, and that the last Conservative Education Secretary said that the SEND system they have left behind is “lose, lose, lose”. We are determined to fix it, to build up parents’ confidence, and to make sure that all children get the education and support that they need.
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Assessment & feedback
The minister did not provide concrete steps or funding details for a fairer system as requested by the MP.
Inherited From Previous Government
Determined To Fix
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The youth engagement team in Croydon, focusing on preventing young women's involvement in gangs through grooming and abuse, faces budget constraints.
I welcome this Government’s commitment to halving violence against women and girls, and their investment in the domestic abuse protection order scheme in Croydon. However, Croydon’s youth engagement team, who focus on helping to prevent young women from being brought into gangs through grooming, abuse and vulnerability, are facing cuts due to the budget constraints facing the council. What more can the Government do to support local communities and local councils to prevent young women from being dragged into gangs through grooming and things like that?
My hon. Friend mentions a vital area. There is an important role for youth services as part of this, but we also need to do much more around safeguarding. The provisions in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on multi-agency child protection measures and much more besides, and the additional investment that we are putting into the system around children’s social care, will make a real difference in tackling the unacceptable exploitation that sadly blights the lives of too many children across our country.
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Assessment & feedback
The minister did not specify additional funding or actions for youth engagement teams beyond what was already announced.
Additional Investment
Multi-Agency Child Protection Measures
Response accuracy