Lord Addington

The Government has announced a broad package of support for businesses and charities to ensure that organisations that need support are able to access it. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and the option to defer VAT payments due between 20 March and 30 June 2020.

In addition, on 8 April the Government announced a £750 million funding package to ensure charities providing frontline services to vulnerable people affected by the pandemic can continue their vital work. We have been focused on distributing these funds as quickly as possible, but balanced with ensuring it reaches those that need it most. Of this, £360 million was to be allocated to individual government departments based on evidence of service need. This funding has now been allocated to government departments, who are using a range of approaches to award funding either directly to charities or through bidding processes. All funding must be spent by the end of October 2020.

£370 million has been allocated to support small and medium sized charities during the pandemic. This includes £60 million funding through the Barnett formula to support charities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Of the £310 million to be spent in England, £200 million has been distributed to the National Lottery Community Fund to award grants through the Coronavirus Community Support Fund. Applications for this fund opened on 22 May and the National Lottery Community Fund is assessing applications in the order in which they are received, in order to award grants as quickly as possible.

In addition, the Government is matching public donations to the BBC Big Night In. The first £20 million of match funding went to the National Emergencies Trust. The 47 local Community Foundations across the UK, including Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland will then provide grant funding to eligible organisations within their community.

Further information on available funds and how to apply for them can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19.

The Government has published guidance on gov.uk allowing the phased return of sport and recreation in line with the latest medical guidance. This guidance can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation. A pdf of the web page is attached.

The guidance includes a set of recommended minimum practice for Step One of ‘return to training’ (RTT) guidance for elite athletes. This guidance will assist elite sport organisations to deliver a safe return to organised training for its athletes and staff, while adhering to social distancing guidelines. Step Two guidance on a return to close contact training, and Step Three of parameters of Behind Closed Doors competition, will follow in due course.

Whilst the Government does not plan to publish sport-specific guidance, the national governing bodies of sports are producing guidance for the safe, phased return of play, in line with the overarching guidance that the Government has produced.

The Government has published guidance on gov.uk allowing the phased return of sport and recreation in line with the latest medical guidance. This guidance can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation. A pdf of the web page is attached.

The current guidance for recreational settings states that indoor facilities, apart from toilets and through-ways should be kept closed.

The guidance also includes a set of recommended minimum practice for Step One of ‘return to training’ (RTT) guidance for elite athletes. This guidance will assist elite sport organisations to deliver a safe return to organised training for its athletes and staff, while adhering to social distancing guidelines. Step Two guidance on a return to close contact training, and Step Three of parameters of Behind Closed Doors competition, will follow in due course.

Information on the current Covid-19 pandemic including the support available to the charity, voluntary and amateur sports sectors can be found on Gov.uk.

Further detail on the support available to sports clubs, including the Sport England Community Emergency Fund, can be found on the Sport England website.

Accessible formats of the guidance are available on request via the Gov.UK website including versions for use with assistive technology.

The Government has announced an unprecedented support package for sports clubs and other organisations affected by Covid-19, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Business Interruption loan scheme.

Full details of Government guidance and support for organisations including community amateur sports clubs can be found on the Gov.UK website.

In addition, Sport England have also announced a support package of £210m for the grassroots sport sector. Full details can be found on their website.

The Government has announced an unprecedented support package for sports clubs and other organisations affected by Covid-19, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Business Interruption loan scheme.

Full details of Government guidance and support for organisations including community amateur sports clubs can be found on the Gov.UK website.

In addition, Sport England have also announced a support package of £210m for the grassroots sport sector. Full details can be found on their website.

The Government recognises that broadcasting has an important role to play for UK audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs) have played a vital role during the pandemic, acting as sources of trusted news, entertaining and informing the UK population and bringing the nation together through shared moments.

Under the Communications Act 2003 Ofcom has a statutory obligation to periodically review the effectiveness of public service television broadcasting and to report on how it can be maintained and strengthened. The Government welcomes that Ofcom’s current PSB Review will bring together evidence not only about the main PSB services but also the range of media services available to consumers in the UK. The government looks forward to the outcome of the review in due course.

Sport England has been working closely with its strategic partners, the Chartered Institute of the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), UK Active, Community Leisure UK and the national governing body for group exercise EMD UK to make it easier for personal trainers and group exercise instructors to provide physical activity for people in their community and beyond. This has included work to assist personal trainers to make sure they have adequate insurance cover and guidance to promote remote activity sessions safely.

Government recognises the impact that covid-19 is having on the sport sector, and we are continuing to engage with sporting organisations to understand how it is affecting them and to provide support.

At the present time, although all elite and grassroots sport has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, the government recognises the importance of staying physically active for mental and physical health. There has been much innovative thinking across the sport and physical activity sector on how to keep people active whilst social distancing restrictions are in place.

Daily exercise is one of the reasons that people are allowed outdoors and campaigns such as Sport England's 'Join the movement ' campaign, under the hashtag #stayinworkout, provides the advice and tools needed to help people to stay as physically fit as possible. Its online hub offers free exercise content and advice from organisations such as the NHS. Workouts from fitness brands and influencers such as Les Mills on Demand, The Body Coach (Joe Wicks) and FiiT are also available via the hub, many of whom are offering extended free trials to help people get active at home.

The Government has announced a number of support packages for voluntary and sporting organisations, who have been impacted by Covid-19.

For sport, this includes Sport England’s announcement of a £195m package of support for the grassroots sport and physical activity sector, including a £20m Community Emergency Fund (CEF) to support those organisations that are suffering from immediate financial hardship. The CEF includes support for organisations which operate facilities and which require specific support to meet fixed and other costs relating to buildings. Further details are available here: https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/coronavirus/coronavirus-funding-and-flexibility.

For the voluntary sector, this has included the Government distributing £310m via the National Lottery Community Fund to support voluntary organisations most affected by Covid-19 as part of the wider £750m Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise funding package announced by the Chancellor.

These packages are in addition to the wider HM Treasury support packages, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Business Interruption loan, both of which the sport and voluntary sector are eligible for. Full details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

The Government has announced a number of support packages for voluntary and not-for-profit organisations, who have been impacted by Covid-19. These include the National Lottery Community Fund’s £300m, the Arts Council’s (£50m) and Sport England’s (£20m) Emergency Funding packages. The Government is also distributing £310m via the National Lottery Community Fund to support voluntary organisations most affected by Covid-19 as part of the wider £750m Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise funding package announced by the Chancellor. This is in addition to the wider HM Treasury support packages, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Business Interruption Loans and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants, all of which the charitable sector are eligible for.

Full details of Government guidance and support during the current coronavirus epidemic for organisations including amateur sports clubs can be found on GOV.UK.

I am aware of the strain that many charities are under during this time of financial uncertainty and increased demand on their services. On 8 April, the government announced a £750 million funding package for charities delivering frontline services. Unfortunately not all charities will be able to benefit from this, so they should also consider whether they are eligible for other existing government schemes, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self Employment Income Support Scheme, Business Interruption Loans and deferring VAT payments.

The department wants to provide all young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with good opportunities that allow them to transition from education into a fulfilling adult life.

On 2 March 2023, the department published the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, in response to the Green Paper published in March last year. This outlines the government’s mission for the SEND and AP system to fulfil children and young people’s potential, build parents’ trust and provide financial sustainability.

The department committed to developing good practice guidance to support consistent, timely, high-quality transitions for children and young people with SEND and in AP. This will ultimately look at transitions between all stages of education from early years and will focus initially on transitions into and out of post-16 settings, including into employment.

We are also supporting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to develop and pilot an Adjustments Passport that will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs. The Adjustments Passport will capture the in-work support needs of the individual and the pilots will establish whether the passport can reduce the need for assessments where needs remain the same. This will empower the passport holder to have a more confident conversation with potential employers about workplace adjustments.

Schools and colleges are expected to develop and improve their careers provision for young people in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, addressing the individual needs of each pupil, and seeking to raise the career aspirations of students with SEND. A new £2.6 million careers programme will deliver targeted, age-appropriate careers support in over 2,200 primary schools, to encourage children to think about future jobs, raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes, including those about people with disabilities.

To ensure children and young people with SEND are aware of their options, careers guidance for pupils with SEND should take account of the full range of relevant education, training and employment opportunities, such as traineeships and apprenticeships, supported internships or routes into higher education.

For those with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, there must be a specific focus from Year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood, including employment, as part of their EHC plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.

The National Careers Service offers free, up-to-date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills, and the labour market in England. It helps people realise their full potential and supports social mobility by working with individuals to motivate them and develop their understanding of the full range of options open to them, whatever their background or circumstances. There's more information available at: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/.

DWP is running a series of programmes to support learning disabled people into employment, including the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support and Local Supported Employment. They are also working with employers via Disability Confident to increase their capacity to recruit, retain and support learning disabled employees.

Furthermore, Access to Work is a demand led, discretionary DWP grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable, paid employment.

The grant provides personalised support, including workplace assessments, travel to and in work, support workers, specialist aids and equipment including vehicle adaptations to enable disabled people and those with a health condition, to move into or retain employment. AtW can fund up to £66,000 worth of flexible, personalised support per person per year.

This government supports Alternative Provision (AP) schools to use their specialist skills and experience to asses the special educational needs of individual pupils referred to them. The department would expect such assessments to be made quickly but, given the variability in individual need, the department believes it would not be appropriate to set a single timeframe for this assessment.

As set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and AP Improvement Plan, published in March, it is the department’s intention that AP schools will work closely in partnership with mainstream settings to provide high-quality, targeted support and one-to-one interventions. This will build capacity in mainstream schools to identify and support needs early, reducing the numbers of preventable exclusions and expensive long-term placements, and leading to improvements in children’s wellbeing and outcomes.

The department will invest in the workforce across education, health and care to build the capacity of the specialist workforce and to improve confidence and expertise in supporting children and young people with SEND promptly and effectively.

The department is implementing high-quality teacher training reforms which begin with initial teacher training and continues into early career teaching, through to middle and senior leadership. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND and in AP schools.

This government supports Alternative Provision (AP) schools to use their specialist skills and experience to asses the special educational needs of individual pupils referred to them. The department would expect such assessments to be made quickly but, given the variability in individual need, the department believes it would not be appropriate to set a single timeframe for this assessment.

As set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and AP Improvement Plan, published in March, it is the department’s intention that AP schools will work closely in partnership with mainstream settings to provide high-quality, targeted support and one-to-one interventions. This will build capacity in mainstream schools to identify and support needs early, reducing the numbers of preventable exclusions and expensive long-term placements, and leading to improvements in children’s wellbeing and outcomes.

The department will invest in the workforce across education, health and care to build the capacity of the specialist workforce and to improve confidence and expertise in supporting children and young people with SEND promptly and effectively.

The department is implementing high-quality teacher training reforms which begin with initial teacher training and continues into early career teaching, through to middle and senior leadership. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND and in AP schools.

The new National Standards will build on the comprehensive legal framework relevant to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) by clarifying what good evidence-based provision looks like, who is responsible for securing it and from what budgets.

The department has heard through the SEND and Alternative Provision Green Paper how important it is that National Standards are evidence-based and that children, young people and their families are able to feed into the development process. We are setting up a steering group of cross sector representatives, that will include parent-carer representatives, to oversee the development of standards. The department will test the National Standards in the context of our £70 million Change Programme to ensure they are iterated and set up for success.

The development of the National Standards may require updates to both the legislation on SEND and to the SEND Code of Practice. The department will publish the National Standards in full for consultation.

The department wants to provide all young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with good opportunities that allow them to transition from education into a fulfilling adult life.

On 2 March 2023, the department published the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, in response to the Green Paper published in March last year. This outlines the government’s mission for the SEND and AP system to fulfil children and young people’s potential, build parents’ trust and provide financial sustainability.

The department committed to developing good practice guidance to support consistent, timely, high-quality transitions for children and young people with SEND and in AP. This will ultimately look at transitions between all stages of education from early years and will focus initially on transitions into and out of post-16 settings, including into employment.

We are also supporting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to develop and pilot an Adjustments Passport that will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs. The Adjustments Passport will capture the in-work support needs of the individual and the pilots will establish whether the passport can reduce the need for assessments where needs remain the same. This will empower the passport holder to have a more confident conversation with potential employers about workplace adjustments.

Schools and colleges are expected to develop and improve their careers provision for young people in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, addressing the individual needs of each pupil, and seeking to raise the career aspirations of students with SEND. A new £2.6 million careers programme will deliver targeted, age-appropriate careers support in over 2,200 primary schools, to encourage children to think about future jobs, raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes, including those about people with disabilities.

To ensure children and young people with SEND are aware of their options, careers guidance for pupils with SEND should take account of the full range of relevant education, training and employment opportunities, such as traineeships and apprenticeships, supported internships or routes into higher education.

For those with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, there must be a specific focus from Year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood, including employment, as part of their EHC plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.

The National Careers Service offers free, up-to-date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills, and the labour market in England. It helps people realise their full potential and supports social mobility by working with individuals to motivate them and develop their understanding of the full range of options open to them, whatever their background or circumstances. There's more information available at: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/.

DWP is running a series of programmes to support learning disabled people into employment, including the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support and Local Supported Employment. They are also working with employers via Disability Confident to increase their capacity to recruit, retain and support learning disabled employees.

Furthermore, Access to Work is a demand led, discretionary DWP grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable, paid employment.

The grant provides personalised support, including workplace assessments, travel to and in work, support workers, specialist aids and equipment including vehicle adaptations to enable disabled people and those with a health condition, to move into or retain employment. AtW can fund up to £66,000 worth of flexible, personalised support per person per year.

The department understands that quality teaching is the most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with additional needs. From September 2020, all new teachers have benefited from at least three years of evidence based professional development and support, starting with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) based on the new ITT Core Content Framework (CCF), and followed by a new two-year induction underpinned by the Early Career Framework (ECF).

All ITT courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement in Standard 1, that teachers must set goals that stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and dispositions. As well as Standard 5, that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and be able to adapt teaching to respond to those strengths and needs.

The department will be conducting a review this year of the CCF and ECF to identify how the frameworks can equip new teachers to be more confident in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND.

The department is expanding training to increase school staff confidence in using assistive technology (AT). Following the promising results of our initial pilot, we are extending assistive technology training to a further 150 maintained schools. The extension, known as the ‘AT Test and Learn’ programme, will teach mainstream school staff how to use AT effectively, with a focus on the technology schools already have available or can easily obtain, such as text-to-speech tools. It will build on last year’s pilot by training more schools over a longer period and with more impact data to gain a fuller picture of how AT training can support wider Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, continuing professional development.

The Early Years Recovery Programme includes funding for training of up to 5,000 early years Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), leading to an accredited Level 3 early years SENCO qualification. The training is for SENCOs currently working in early years group-based providers or working as childminders. SENCOs working in schools are subject to different requirements. They must be a qualified teacher, and must achieve the masters-level National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination within 3 years of appointment as a SENCO.

All schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children, to prevent them from being put at a substantial disadvantage. If a pupil has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, the school must work with the local authority to ensure that all the relevant duties under the 2014 Children and Families Act are met, including securing Special Educational Provision (SEP), which may include the provision of assistive technology.

Children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) have more access to assistive technology, following investment in remote education and accessibility features which can reduce or remove barriers to learning. The department has expanded training to increase school staff awareness of assistive technology and, in particular, to increase awareness of assistive technology that is already available or can easily be obtained, such as text-to-speech tools. Impact data from this programme will provide a fuller picture of how training can support the wider continuous professional development for learners with SEN.

The department knows that quality teaching is the most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Since September 2020, all new teachers have benefitted from at least three years of evidence-based professional development and support, starting with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) that is based on the ITT Core Content Framework (CCF), and followed by a new two-year induction underpinned by the Early Career Framework (ECF). All ITT courses and ECF-based training programmes are designed to support trainee and early career teachers to demonstrate that they meet the Teachers' Standards at the appropriate level.

The department is reviewing and revising the ITT CCF and ECF into more closely combined frameworks. These would cover the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career and articulate what trainee and new teachers need to know and need to know how to do. This work includes identifying opportunities to identify how the frameworks can equip new teachers to be more confident in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND.

The department’s SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, published in March 2023, has committed to developing a longer-term approach for teaching assistants to ensure their impact is consistent across the system and the different responsibilities they take on, including in training in speech and language interventions.

In partnership with NHS England, we are funding the Early Language and Support for Every Child pathfinders within our £70 million Change Programme. This will fund nine Integrated Care Boards and one of the local areas within each of our nine Regional Expert Partnerships to trial new ways of working. This is to better identify and support children with speech and language needs in early years and primary schools.

The Improvement Plan also outlines how National Standards will set out the types of support that should be available as standard, based on the best available evidence. This will enable a full range of needs to be better supported. Practice Guides will set out evidence-based best practice in meeting individual needs. We will start by building on existing best practice and will publish three practice guides by the end of 2025.

In March 2022, the Department published the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Green Paper. This included the proposal to replace the current mandatory qualification for Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), the National Award for SEN Co-ordination (NASENCO), with a new leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ). The NASENCO is a Level 7 postgraduate qualification funded from school budgets, typically equivalent to a third of a full Masters’ degree, taking approximately 225 hours to complete. The time commitment required for leadership NPQs varies between courses and providers.

The proposal seeks to improve the level of expertise and leadership amongst SENCOs and ensure they have the knowledge and skills for the role at the earliest opportunity, enabling them to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND. NPQs are underpinned by the latest and best evidence. This would bring the SENCO qualification in line with wider teacher development reforms, with content and delivery quality assured by the Education Endowment Foundation and Ofsted.

The Department is now carefully considering the feedback received through the 16-week consultation period. The Department is committed to publishing a full response to the SEND and AP Green Paper, including the proposals on SENCOs, in an Improvement Plan early in the new year. If the proposed SENCO NPQ is to be introduced, the Department will communicate the arrangements around the funding for NPQs in due course.

In March 2022, the Department published the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Green Paper. This included the proposal to replace the current mandatory qualification for Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), the National Award for SEN Co-ordination (NASENCO), with a new leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ). The NASENCO is a Level 7 postgraduate qualification funded from school budgets, typically equivalent to a third of a full Masters’ degree, taking approximately 225 hours to complete. The time commitment required for leadership NPQs varies between courses and providers.

The proposal seeks to improve the level of expertise and leadership amongst SENCOs and ensure they have the knowledge and skills for the role at the earliest opportunity, enabling them to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND. NPQs are underpinned by the latest and best evidence. This would bring the SENCO qualification in line with wider teacher development reforms, with content and delivery quality assured by the Education Endowment Foundation and Ofsted.

The Department is now carefully considering the feedback received through the 16-week consultation period. The Department is committed to publishing a full response to the SEND and AP Green Paper, including the proposals on SENCOs, in an Improvement Plan early in the new year. If the proposed SENCO NPQ is to be introduced, the Department will communicate the arrangements around the funding for NPQs in due course.

A pay award to teachers in maintained schools outside a review conducted by the School Teachers Review Body (STRB) is possible via an order under section 122 of the Education Act 2022, giving effect to a modified School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD).

There are no plans to assess the special educational needs categorisation of children classed as vulnerable who have not attended school during partial closures.

The department will continue to ask schools to report on attendance overall, as well as attendance by vulnerable pupils, including those with education, health and care plans and social workers, beyond 1 June, when schools began welcoming back more children.

The department carries out analysis on the regional attendance trends which is used to support decision-making and to inform conversations with special educational needs and disabilities leads in local authorities.

We want to get all children and young people back into education as soon as possible because it is the best place for them to learn, and because we know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers.

We are working to ensure that schools are fully supported when they open more widely. Schools are free to organise and deliver a PE curriculum that suits the needs of all their pupils whilst following COVID-19 government guidelines. Our latest guidance for schools can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.

We want every child to be able to do the 60 minutes a day of physical activity recommended by the UK Chief Medical Officers. This is important for their physical and mental wellbeing and will be especially important for children who have had restricted opportunity to exercise while at home. The government is working closely with nurseries, schools, physical activity experts and sport providers to ensure that there is advice and resources to support everyone to participate in regular exercise. We are advising schools to use outside space for exercise where possible and encourage activities such as supervised non-touch running games.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, working alongside Sport England, launched a £195 million package to help the sport and physical activity sector through the COVID-19 outbreak, with more recent guidance published on the phased return of grassroots sport and recreation:

• https://www.sportengland.org/news/195-million-package-help-sport-and-physical-activity-through-coronavirus.
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

We have no current plans in place to review the long-term educational benefits of material independently developed and provided by public sector broadcasters for children unable to attend school during the COVID-19 outbreak. For most children who benefited from materials offered by public sector broadcasters, this would only have been part of their overall educational provision, and it would be extremely difficult to isolate the impact of just this one element.

Many schools have set work for pupils and shared resources for children who are at home; the Department has issued guidance for schools which signposts to an initial list of free online resources identified by educational experts and teachers; many educational suppliers have also helpfully made their resources available for free.

Additionally, leading state schools collaborated to open The Oak National Academy, which was launched online on 20 April. This initiative is led by 40 teachers who have assembled video lessons and resources for any teacher in the country to make use of if they wish to do so. 180 video lessons will be provided each week, across a broad range of subjects, for every year group from Reception through to Year 10.

69,000 of the children and young people in attendance on Thursday 7 May were classed by schools as vulnerable. Of these, around 20,800 were children and young people with special educational needs who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, and 35,000 were children in need (reported by schools as having a social worker). The remainder were unknown, where schools either did not provide this information or the children were classed vulnerable for other reasons.

The department is working with educational settings and local authorities to improve our understanding of the total number of vulnerable children for whom continued attendance at educational establishments would be beneficial and appropriate. We are asking local authorities to work with educational providers, families and the child or young person to carry out a risk assessment to judge whether the child or young person’s needs cannot be met safely at home. Many children and young people with EHC plans can have their needs safely met in the home environment. Attendance may not be appropriate for some children, including because of health considerations for them and their family. Full guidance on the definition of vulnerable children and options for continued attendance can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 guidance on vulnerable and young children was published on 22 March, and explains the practicalities for local authorities and other providers in light of school and college closures. Which is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

Further guidance on risk assessments was published on 19 April: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-send-risk-assessment-guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-send-risk-assessment-guidance.

We are asking local authorities to work with educational providers, families and the child or young person to carry out a risk assessment to judge whether a vulnerable child or young person, including those with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, is able to attend a school or other educational setting or can be supported more safely at home. They will need to judge how best to meet the needs of these children and young people, including whether some of the support they require can be provided at home. Local authorities will also need to consider how to ensure they can continue to assess children’s needs, including conducting EHC needs assessments through virtual means, whether those children are school or home based at this time.

We are working closely with a range of charities and other organisations to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, such as the Council for Disabled Children, Contact and the National Network of Parent Carer Forums, and have taken on board their views when framing guidance.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 guidance on vulnerable and young children was published on 22 March, and explains the practicalities for local authorities and other providers in light of school and college closures. Which is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

Further guidance on risk assessments was published on 19 April: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-send-risk-assessment-guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-send-risk-assessment-guidance.

We are asking local authorities to work with educational providers, families and the child or young person to carry out a risk assessment to judge whether a vulnerable child or young person, including those with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, is able to attend a school or other educational setting or can be supported more safely at home. They will need to judge how best to meet the needs of these children and young people, including whether some of the support they require can be provided at home. Local authorities will also need to consider how to ensure they can continue to assess children’s needs, including conducting EHC needs assessments through virtual means, whether those children are school or home based at this time.

We are working closely with a range of charities and other organisations to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, such as the Council for Disabled Children, Contact and the National Network of Parent Carer Forums, and have taken on board their views when framing guidance.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Schools across the country are already lending school-owned devices to children who need them.

On 19 April, the Government announced further support for vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people who do not have access to a digital device. Laptops and tablets will be ordered for the most disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for exams (in year 10), receive support from a social worker, or are a care leaver.

Local authorities, trusts and other relevant organisations overseeing schools and social care have been sent information on how they can request a device.

On Monday 21 April, national data on pupil attendance in educational establishments between Monday 23 March and Friday 17 April was published, and is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings.

The Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) Assessment Standards Committee (SASC) published revised guidance on diagnostic assessments on 4 May 2020. The department is working with the Student Loans Company on how best to take account of the revised guidance in administering Disabled Students Allowances, and will communicate the approach to stakeholders shortly.

We have published guidance on supporting vulnerable children and young people at this time:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

We have also published guidance on how risk assessments should be carried out for children with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-send-risk-assessment-guidance.

This guidance sets out the practicalities for local authorities and other providers in undertaking risk assessments for vulnerable children and young people with EHC plans, in light of school and college closures. Schools remain open to the vulnerable, and children in care and local authority Virtual School Heads are actively tailoring their expert offer of advice and support to the current circumstances. This includes the provision of additional resources such as online learning – in addition to our offer of laptops and tablets – and support for carers where children are unable to attend school. We are asking local authorities to work with educational providers, families and the child or young person to carry out a risk assessment to judge whether the child or young person’s needs cannot be met safely at home. Where the risk assessment determines a child or young person with an EHC plan will be as safe or safer at an educational setting, it may be more appropriate for them to attend the educational setting.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

We have published guidance on supporting vulnerable children and young people at this time:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

We have also published guidance on how risk assessments should be carried out for children with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-send-risk-assessment-guidance.

This guidance sets out the practicalities for local authorities and other providers in undertaking risk assessments for vulnerable children and young people with EHC plans, in light of school and college closures. Schools remain open to the vulnerable, and children in care and local authority Virtual School Heads are actively tailoring their expert offer of advice and support to the current circumstances. This includes the provision of additional resources such as online learning – in addition to our offer of laptops and tablets – and support for carers where children are unable to attend school. We are asking local authorities to work with educational providers, families and the child or young person to carry out a risk assessment to judge whether the child or young person’s needs cannot be met safely at home. Where the risk assessment determines a child or young person with an EHC plan will be as safe or safer at an educational setting, it may be more appropriate for them to attend the educational setting.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

We have published guidance on supporting vulnerable children and young people at this time:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

We have also published guidance on how risk assessments should be carried out for children with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-send-risk-assessment-guidance.

This guidance sets out the practicalities for local authorities and other providers in undertaking risk assessments for vulnerable children and young people with EHC plans, in light of school and college closures. Schools remain open to the vulnerable, and children in care and local authority Virtual School Heads are actively tailoring their expert offer of advice and support to the current circumstances. This includes the provision of additional resources such as online learning – in addition to our offer of laptops and tablets – and support for carers where children are unable to attend school. We are asking local authorities to work with educational providers, families and the child or young person to carry out a risk assessment to judge whether the child or young person’s needs cannot be met safely at home. Where the risk assessment determines a child or young person with an EHC plan will be as safe or safer at an educational setting, it may be more appropriate for them to attend the educational setting.

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.