Oral Answers to Questions

Henry Smith Excerpts

Tuesday 5th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that vulnerable children are identified and supported during the covid-19 outbreak.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson)]

Schools remain open to children in care, and local authority virtual school heads are actively tailoring their expert offer of advice and support to all children on what they are learning in schools. For those not attending, we have made it clear to local authorities and schools that they should be doing everything they can to maintain contact with and support for children not attending school.

[Henry Smith [V]]

What specific support during the covid-19 pandemic is being provided for children in care and children with special educational needs, such as dyslexia?

[Gavin Williamson]

We have been working right across the sector to make it absolutely clear that we understand the need for very specific, tailor-made guidance for a lot of children in special educational needs settings. We have been working with special schools to be able to provide that. We have also been providing tailored advice, support and resources online for children with a whole spectrum and range of special educational needs, as well as on how we support families to give education at home.