Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Monday 12 June 2023 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The SEND and AP improvement plan was published in March 2023 to guide actions for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
  • Over the last four years, high needs block funding has been increased by 50% to 2023-24.
  • More than 1.4 billion of high needs provisional capital allocations have been announced to support new places for academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Luke Hall Con
Children & Families

Question

What steps she is taking to improve provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Answer from Claire Coutinho

I want every child and young person, regardless of their special educational need or disability, to receive the right support to enjoy their childhood and succeed in life. The SEND and AP improvement plan, published in March 2023, sets out the next steps that we are taking to deliver a more positive experience for children, young people and families.

Partly answered

How: We Have Not Specified Concrete Actions Or Timelines

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Debbie Abrahams Lab Oldham East and Saddleworth
Education
Context

The Children's Commissioner has expressed concerns about the Government's plan to improve the system for children with special educational needs and disabilities, identifying gaps in late intervention, low confidence, and inefficient resource allocation. In particular, she points to the issues for looked-after children with SEND.

Question

Given that the plan is to be implemented by 2025, what are the Government doing now to achieve those things?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

We have not waited to take action on this issue. We have increased, for example, high needs block funding by 50% over the last four years to 2023-24. We have set out £2.6 billion to increase the number of specialist schools. We have also hired educational psychologists. We have done a lot of work to date, but the reforms are ambitious and wide-ranging and they will, I hope, help with the issues mentioned.

Partly answered

How: We Did Not Specify Concrete Actions Or Timelines For 2025

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Jack Brereton Con
Children & Families
Context

The need for more specialist school places is raised frequently by parents in my constituency, and children are being bounced between mainstream providers that are simply not fit to cater for many advanced needs. Recently, I visited Hillcrest Glebedale School in my constituency, which is keen to expand the number of places.

Question

Will the Minister do more to ensure that we support such schools and grow the number of SEND places in Stoke-on-Trent?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

I thank all the special schools for the amazing work they do to support children and young people. We have announced more than £1.4 billion of high needs provisional capital allocations to support local authorities to deliver new places for academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Local authorities can use that funding to work with any school or institution in their area.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q4 Luke Hall Con
Education Children & Families
Context

Work has begun on the new Two Bridges Academy in South Gloucestershire, a new school that will support pupils who have severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties and autism from the age of two right through to sixth form.

Question

Will the Minister join me in thanking the educational trust, the council and all the local groups who are helping to deliver this exciting and innovative project and will she use her office to make sure that it is open by the planned date of September 2024 to help us cope with the growing demand for special educational needs services in South Gloucestershire?

Answer from Claire Coutinho

I am delighted to join my hon. Friend in thanking all those involved in the project. The Two Bridges site remains on track to open as planned and work is progressing well. We are committed to working with the trust to ensure that that remains the case.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email