Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Disabled Children: Covid-19 Recovery Plan

Monday 26 April 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

  • UK Government allocated 1.7 billion to support education recovery for all children
  • Sir Kevan Collins appointed to lead work targeting resources to those with greatest need
  • High-needs funding budget increased by 8% for the current financial year and an additional 8% the previous year

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mohammad Yasin Lab Bedford
NHS Children & Families
Context

The Disabled Children's Partnership reports that over half of disabled children's health has declined due to delayed and reduced essential health and therapy appointments.

Question

What assessment has been made regarding the potential merits of implementing a covid-19 recovery plan specifically aimed at supporting disabled children and their families, given the reported deterioration in their health?

Answer from Vicky Ford

We have allocated £1.7 billion to support education recovery, and Sir Kevan Collins has been appointed to lead our work targeting resources towards those with the greatest need. Schools can use their catch-up and recovery funding to purchase additional therapies; many special schools in Bedfordshire have already done so. The high-needs funding budget for this financial year has increased by 8%, on top of an 8% increase last year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific request for a cross-departmental therapies and health catch-up plan was not directly addressed with a commitment to develop such a plan.

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Q2 Mohammad Yasin Lab Bedford
Education Children & Families
Context

The Disabled Children's Partnership reports that over half of disabled children's health has declined due to delayed and reduced essential health and therapy appointments. The Government have advised prioritising these appointments but many families are not being reached.

Question

Given the reported deterioration in the health of disabled children, will the Minister develop a cross-departmental therapies and health catch-up plan for disabled children and families as part of the wider covid-19 recovery efforts?

Answer from Vicky Ford

Schools can use catch-up and recovery funding for additional therapies, and special schools have already done so. The high-needs funding budget has increased by 8% for this financial year and an additional 8% last year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific request for a cross-departmental plan was not directly addressed with a commitment to develop such a plan.

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