Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Brain Injury: Specialist Education Support

Monday 1 March 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Chris Bryant asked the Minister about the number of pupils under 18 receiving specialist education support due to brain injuries in the last 12 months
  • The Minister responded that the Department does not collect specific data on brain injuries among pupils
  • The Minister emphasized the importance of tailoring support to individual pupils' needs rather than focusing on diagnosis

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Bryant Lab Rhondda and Ogmore
Education
Context

The question arises from a concern about the lack of specific data on brain injuries among school-aged children. The issue is that many pupils may return to school after suffering from brain injuries without proper recognition or support.

Question

What estimate he has made of the number of pupils under the age of 18 who are in receipt of specialist education support as a result of experiencing a brain injury in the last 12 months. The MP is concerned that many children returning to school after suffering from brain injuries may not receive appropriate support due to lack of data and recognition.

Answer from Vicky Ford

The Department does not collect specific data on brain injuries. A pupil's acquired brain injury could manifest in many different ways, and support should be tailored to their learning barriers, irrespective of the diagnosis. The SEND code of practice asks schools and colleges to address pupils' individual educational needs, regardless of their condition.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific estimate or data on number of pupils with brain injuries

How: The Department Does Not Collect Specific Data On Brain Injuries

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Q2 Chris Bryant Lab Rhondda and Ogmore
Education Children & Families
Context

Concerns remain about the lack of specific data on brain injuries among school-aged children, leading to inadequate recognition and support for affected students. The issue is that many pupils may return to school after suffering from brain injuries without proper recognition or support.

Question

Happy St David's day, Mr Speaker. I really find that a disappointing answer. There will be children going back to school after several weeks who will have had brain injuries of various kinds. If the Department does not even keep statistics on them, it is probably likely that lots of headteachers will not even know whether their children have had acquired brain injuries. Sometimes, the results of a brain injury can look remarkably like being naughty or unco-operative in school, and kids end up being excluded despite the fact that they have a medical condition. The special educational needs code still does not even mention brain injury. How are we ever going to take this seriously if we do not even gather the information and make sure that those children who really need support get it? It is often referred to as a hidden disability; well, it is completely hidden from the Minister herself.

Answer from Vicky Ford

No, the Government take brain injury and the devastating impact that it can have on a child's life especially seriously, but the important thing is to make sure that each child gets the support that they need for their particular circumstances. That is why the SEND system is specifically designed to get the right support to each individual child, and that is what we are working on through the SEND review. I am very happy to discuss with the hon. Member exactly how we are working on making sure that each child gets the support that they need for how the brain injury manifests for that child.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment to data collection or recognition of brain injuries in SEND code

How: The Government Take Brain Injury Seriously, We Are Working On Making Sure Each Child Gets Support

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