Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

SEND: Blind and Partially Sighted Children

Monday 19 January 2026 · 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 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Research by Guide Dogs indicates that 69% of non-specialist teachers lack confidence and skills to support disabled children, including those with visual impairments.
  • Blind and partially sighted children in the East Riding of Yorkshire receive the lowest funding through the higher needs block compared to other areas in the country.
  • Revenue funding for young people with complex special educational needs has increased by 1.8 billion since July 2024, totalling over 12 billion.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Marsha De Cordova Lab Battersea
Children & Families
Context

Guide Dogs research found that 69% of non-specialist teachers lack confidence and skills to support disabled children, including visually impaired ones.

Question

I welcome the work the Minister is doing. Research by Guide Dogs has found that 69% of non-specialist teachers said they lacked the confidence and skills to support disabled children, including those with visual impairments. I welcome the Government’s new SEND announcement on teacher training which includes support for visually impaired children. However, training alone is not enough. Can the Minister set out what steps the Government are taking to ensure that schools and local authorities properly understand and implement their legal obligations on reasonable adjustments so blind and partially sighted children and young people are not put at a disadvantage?

Answer from The Minister for School Standards (Georgia Gould)

We have commissioned research to strengthen the evidence base of what works to improve inclusive practice in mainstream settings, including for sensory impairment. I look forward to discussing what more we can do together later this week.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps and timelines on ensuring compliance with legal obligations were not provided.

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Q2 Graham Stuart Con Beverley and Holderness
Children & Families
Context

Blind and partially sighted children in the East Riding of Yorkshire receive lower funding through the higher needs block compared to other areas, with only a 2% increase in the latest settlement.

Question

Blind and partially sighted children in the East Riding of Yorkshire receive lower funding through the higher needs block than anywhere else in the country. In the latest settlement, the East Riding will receive the smallest increase in the country at just 2%, compared with an average of over 6%. How can it possibly be justified that children in the rural, coastal East Riding of Yorkshire who are already worst funded in the country are going to see the gap widen? Minister, please explain.

Answer from The Minister for School Standards (Georgia Gould)

Revenue funding for young people with complex SEND has increased by £1.8 billion since July 2024, bringing total high-needs funding to well over £12 billion. The Government will be setting out more in the schools White Paper around further funding and how that is distributed.

Not addressed: Specific justification for the disparity in funding was not provided; instead a general increase in overall funding was mentioned.

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