1 APPG membership (as of 8 Apr 2024)
Central Bank and Digital Currency4 Former APPG memberships
Dyslexia and Other Specific Learning Difficulties, East of England, Future of Work, Racing and BloodstockDivision Voting information
Debates during the 2019 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Department Debates
(2842 debate contributions)
(53 debate contributions)
(22 debate contributions)
(16 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(4,852 words contributed)
(4,225 words contributed)
(2,714 words contributed)
(2,457 words contributed)
West Suffolk Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 6,161 signatures (5.29%)
of 103,524 signatures (1.20%)
of 14,929 signatures (0.99%)
of 119,694 signatures (0.28%)
of 204,778 signatures (0.20%)
of 103,524 signatures (1.20%)
of 204,778 signatures (0.20%)
of 119,694 signatures (0.28%)
of 6,161 signatures (5.29%)
of 14,929 signatures (0.99%)
c. 559 added daily
103,533
(Estimated)
Stop the implementation of betting affordability/financial risk checks
closes in 3 days, 10 hours
We want the Government to abandon the planned implementation of affordability checks for some people who want to place a bet. We believe such checks – which could include assessing whether people are ‘at risk of harm' based on their postcode or job title – are inappropriate and discriminatory.
Petition Closed
Legalise assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults
Gov Responded - 3 Feb 2022 Debated on - 4 Jul 2022 View Matt Hancock's petition debate contributionsclosed 1 year, 10 months ago
The Government should bring forward legislation to allow assisted dying for adults who are terminally ill and have mental capacity. It should be permitted subject to strict upfront safeguards, assessed by two doctors independently, and self-administered by the dying person.
Latest EDMs signed by Matt Hancock
Sub-postmasters
Tabled by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)That this House notes the increased awareness of the life-changing injustices experienced by sub-postmasters throughout the Horizon scandal; further notes it is now known as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British history; notes with concern that sub-postmasters have served custodial sentences, suffered bankruptcy for offences they did not …
(Most recent: 6 Feb 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 42
Scottish National Party: 16
Liberal Democrat: 12
Independent: 8
Democratic Unionist Party: 4
Plaid Cymru: 3
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 2
Alliance: 1
Alba Party: 1
Conservative: 1
Green Party: 1
Adult literacy
Tabled by: Margaret Greenwood (Labour - Wirral West)That this House recognises that poor literacy skills and illiteracy can consign adults to insecure and low-paid work, lead to poverty and isolation and leave them vulnerable to exploitation; further recognises that people who struggle to read and write can face difficulty in accessing housing, social security, health and care …
(Most recent: 1 Feb 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 30
Independent: 3
Plaid Cymru: 3
Liberal Democrat: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Green Party: 1
Alba Party: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Matt Hancock, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Matt Hancock has not been granted any Urgent Questions
2 Adjournment Debates led by Matt Hancock
12 Bills introduced by Matt Hancock
A Bill to confer power to amend or supplement the law relating to human medicines, veterinary medicines and medical devices; make provision about the enforcement of regulations, and the protection of health and safety, in relation to medical devices; and for connected purposes.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 11th February 2021 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to make provision for the regulation of the processing of information relating to individuals; to make provision in connection with the Information Commissioner's functions under certain regulations relating to information; to make provision for a direct marketing code of conduct; and for connected purposes.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 23rd May 2018 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to amend the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in relation to procedures in accordance with which a person may be deprived of liberty where the person lacks capacity to consent, and for connected purposes
This Bill received Royal Assent on 16th May 2019 and was enacted into law.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 16th March 2016 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to make provision in connection with coronavirus; and for connected purposes.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 25th March 2020 and was enacted into law.
To make provision regarding the funding of the health service in England in respect of each financial year until the financial year that ends with 31 March 2024.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 16th March 2020 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to Make provision about paying and arranging for healthcare provided outside the United Kingdom and giving effect to healthcare agreements; and for connected purposes.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 26th March 2019 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to make provision for screening for dyslexia in primary schools; to make provision about teacher training relating to neurodivergent conditions; and for connected purposes
A Bill to make provision about screening for neurodivergent conditions in primary schools; to make provision about teacher training relating to neurodivergent conditions; and for connected purposes.
Friday 21st June 2024
A Bill to require screening for dyslexia in primary schools; to make provision about the teaching and assessment of children found by that screening to have dyslexia; and for connected purposes.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A bill to amend the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate remote gambling on a point of consumption basis; to require all operators selling into the British market, whether in the United Kingdom or overseas, to hold a Gambling Commission licence to enable them to undertake transactions with British consumers and to advertise in the United Kingdom; to provide that all relevant operators contribute to the Horserace Betting Levy; and for connected purposes
Monday 25th June 2012
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to amend the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate remote gambling on a point of consumption basis; to require all operators selling into the British market, whether in the United Kingdom or overseas, to hold a Gambling Commission licence to enable them to undertake transactions with British consumers and to advertise in the United Kingdom; to provide that all relevant operators contribute to the Horserace Betting Levy; and for connected purposes.
Tuesday 7th February 2012
3 Bills co-sponsored by Matt Hancock
NHS Prescriptions (Drug Tariff Labelling) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Craig Mackinlay (Con)
Lithium-ion Battery Storage (Fire Safety and Environmental Permits) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Maria Miller (Con)
Supply of Drugs to Children Under 16 (Aggravated Offence) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Kevin Hollinrake (Con)
Latest 50 Written Questions
(View all written questions)The government wants small and medium sized enterprises to benefit from central government procurement spend, either directly or indirectly via the supply chain. Reports on this aspiration are published on GOV.UK on an annual basis.
The latest procurement figures for 2019/20 show that £15.5bn was paid to small and medium sized businesses to help deliver vital public services. This figure is a substantial increase of £1.3bn on the previous year and the highest since records began in 2013.
In the financial year 2022 to 2023 there were a total of 23 industry secondees working at the Competition and Markets Authority. One was working in Enforcement, nine in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser and thirteen in Legal Services.
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
For the financial year 2022 to 2023, the Competition and Markets Authority provided a contribution of £88,954 to the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum.
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In the financial year 2022 to 2023 five employees from the Competition and Markets Authority were seconded to the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum.
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Current pay at the Competition and Markets Authority ranges from a minimum of £25,300 to a maximum of £27,900 for Administrative Officers, the lowest pay grade, to a minimum of £127,000 to a maximum of £208,100 for Senior Civil Service Pay Band 3, which is Director General level and the most senior grade. My officials will share a detailed breakdown of pay ranges separately.
In relation to pay in and outside of London, the CMA does not differentiate pay based on location. Pay and funding are the responsibility of HM Treasury, who are the financial sponsors of the CMA.
Pay Bands
Administrative Officer to Grade 6 – effective from 1 September 2023
Grade | Pay minima | Pay mid-point | Pay maxima |
AO | £25,300 | £26,600 | £27,900 |
EO | £29,550 | £31,825 | £34,100 |
HEO | £36,550 | £40,975 | £45,400 |
SEO | £46,000 | £49,950 | £53,900 |
G7 | £57,100 | £64,650 | £72,200 |
G7 (Competition Specialist) | £59,100 | £66,750 | £74,400 |
G6 | £71,300 | £77,550 | £83,800 |
G6 (Competition Specialist) | £78,600 | £84,450 | £90,300 |
Senior Civil Service – effective from 1 April 2023
Grade | Specialism | Pay minimum | Pay maximum |
Deputy Director | Non-Competition Specialist: | £75,000 | £117,800 |
(SCS Pay Band 1) | Competition Specialist: | £96,923 | £117,800 |
Director | Non-Competition Specialist: | £97,000 | £162,500 |
(SCS Pay Band 2) | Competition Specialist: | £128,966 | £162,500 |
Director General | All roles: | £127,000 | £208,100 |
(SCS Pay Band 3) |
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is committed to the Global Methane Pledge, collectively to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030.
COP28 mobilised action, with countries including Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan joining the Pledge. We also welcomed new regulatory initiatives, companies committing to the Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter, and the Methane Finance Sprint mobilising funding. The UK committed £2 million to help developing countries address energy-related methane emissions.
The International Energy Agency has recently reported that methane emissions from fossil fuels are set to decline once recent announcements are implemented.
16 Department for Science, Innovation & Technology Questions
(View all Matt Hancock's DSIT questions)Ofcom makes remuneration information available through its annual report and accounts, including detailed information on the pay of senior executives. These can be found online here: www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/annual-reports-and-plans.
Remuneration policy is set by Ofcom’s People Committee. The basic salary for all colleagues is determined by considering each colleague’s responsibilities, skills and experience, together with relevant market benchmarking analysis. Ofcom conduct an annual equal pay audit for gender, ethnicity, and disability. They do not pay London weighting.
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As of March 2024, there are 202 colleagues in the Online Safety Directorate. Beyond the Online Safety Directorate, employees within Ofcom's Legal and Enforcement, Research and Analytics, Strategy and Research, and Corporate groups also work full time on Ofcom's online safety work.
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Costs for the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) budget were split equally between the DRCF member organisations. The Information Commissioner's Office contribution to the DRCF's budget for 2022-23 financial year was £81,754. This does not include costs for DRCF secondee roles funded by the ICO.
The Information Commissioner's Office provided three employee secondee roles to the DRCF over the 2022-23 financial year.
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Costs for the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) budget were split equally between the DRCF member organisations. The Information Commissioner's Office contribution to the DRCF's budget for 2022-23 financial year was £81,754. This does not include costs for DRCF secondee roles funded by the ICO.
The Information Commissioner's Office provided three employee secondee roles to the DRCF over the 2022-23 financial year.
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In 2022–23, Ofcom funded 4 FTE positions in the DRCF. Ofcom does not technically second employees to the DRCF, rather resources are allocated to support the core team.
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Information Commissioner's Office does not operate a location-based pay policy. The pay ranges by grade (for all locations) are as follows:
| Min | Max |
Level B | 23,119 | 26,023 |
Level C | 25,383 | 32,030 |
Level D | 31,689 | 40,418 |
Level E | 40,565 | 51,730 |
Level F | 52,944 | 67,530 |
Level G | 66,068 | 85,113 |
Level G2 | 84,193 | 108,611 |
Level H | 110,624 | 157,960 |
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government set out 5 critical technologies in the Science and Technology Framework, committing to develop a cross-government plan to optimise the science and technology system for each. We have publicly set out our approach to each critical technology, including spending commitments, which for most technologies cover figures for all departments. The government has spent over £2.5bn on AI since 2014. Over the next 10 years we have announced £2.5 billion for quantum technologies, up to £1bn on semiconductors and £2bn for engineering biology. The government has initially committed £70m on Future Telecoms by end of FY 2024/2025.
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The commitment the Government made to spend £20bn on public R&D investment in 2024/25 remains in place and is a cornerstone of our plans to cement the UK’s place as a science and technology superpower.
At the Spending Review, HM Treasury allocated R&D funding across all Government Departments, of which the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) accounted for 71% in 2024/25.
The majority of BEIS R&D funding has been allocated to Department of Science Innovation and Technology, except for policy areas where responsibility sits with another Secretary of State. For example, the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio and R&D investment by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority transfers to the Department for Energy and Net Zero.
Budget allocations for the new Departments will be confirmed in the upcoming Main Estimates 2023/24.
On March 6th 2023, the Government launched its Science and Technology Framework, setting the government’s Science and Technology agenda up to 2030. This framework, led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, will challenge all of government to put the UK at the forefront of global science and technology and create a coordinated cross-government approach.
Optimising public and private sector investment in research and development (R&D) is one of the framework’s 10 strands. This includes the Government’s pledge to increase public investment in R&D to £20 billion by 2024/25 - the largest increase in public R&D budget over a Spending Review period.
The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology is completing the transfer of around 935 staff from the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and around 800 staff from the former Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The staff data is live and so this number may move slightly ahead of the legal transfer date which will be in mid-June. This does not include staff from BDUK, who will be transferring sponsorship to DSIT, but not employer.
The AI Regulation White Paper proposes a proportionate, collaborative approach to AI regulation, and aims to promote innovation while protecting the UK’s values. Our approach is designed to ensure the Government is able to adapt and respond to the risks and opportunities that emerge as the technology develops at pace.
The Government is also working with international partners to understand emerging technologies and AI trends, while promoting the UK’s values, including through key multilateral fora, such as the OECD, the G7, the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), the Council of Europe, and UNESCO, and through bilateral relationships.
The AI regulation white paper proposes a range of new central functions, including a horizon scanning function intended to support the anticipation assessment of emerging risks. This will complement the existing work undertaken by regulators and other government departments to identify and address risks arising from AI.
As set out in the white paper, the Government will continue to convene a wide range of stakeholders - including frontier researchers from industry - to ensure that we hear the full spectrum of viewpoints.
The inherent cross-border nature of the digital ecosystem means it is imperative we work closely with partners. This is in order to prevent a fragmented global market, ensure interoperability and promote the responsible development of AI internationally.
Many businesses developing and using AI are operating across different jurisdictions, and we recognise the importance of working with global partners to develop a responsive and compatible system of global AI governance, allowing the UK and others to engage meaningfully on cross-border AI risks and opportunities. This will support our vision for a global ecosystem that promotes innovation and responsible development and use of technology, underpinned by our shared values of freedom, fairness, and democracy.
The UK AI Regulation White Paper, published in March 2023, recognises the critical role of international collaboration and coordination in AI governance, and prioritises laying the foundations for interoperability: ensuring AI systems can work together as required and that processes are complementary and robust. This will include the role of tools for trustworthy AI such as technical standards and assurance techniques to reduce technical barriers to trade and increase market access.
The UK is already playing a leading role in international discussions on AI ethics and potential regulations, such as work at the Council of Europe, the OECD, UNESCO, the Global Partnership on AI and the G7. The Government will continue to work with our partners around the world to shape international norms and standards relating to AI, including those developed by multilateral and multistakeholder bodies at global and regional level, and to promote the safe and responsible development of AI.
The AI Regulation White Paper proposes a proportionate, collaborative approach to AI regulation.
The approach set out in the white paper ensures that the full range of tools to support effective governance including technical standards and assurance techniques to support the implementation of the UK’s approach. The Government is actively supporting the development of these tools. The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation is building on the AI Assurance Roadmap to establish an AI Assurance ecosystem in the UK, and the UK AI Standards Hub champions the use of global technical standards. These initiatives include collaboration with industry to showcase how these tools can be applied to real-world use cases to align with the AI regulatory principles.
This collaborative approach is also reflected in the UK’s plans to accelerate the UK’s capability in artificial intelligence. The Foundation Model Taskforce will develop the safe and reliable use of this pivotal artificial intelligence (AI) across the economy, and ensure the UK is globally competitive in this strategic technology.
The UK will continue to take a leading role in international discussions on the responsible and ethical development of AI through multilateral forums such as the OECD, Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), and the G7 where we were particularly pleased to reach an agreement last week that recognised the need for close working on AI – with a focus on Generative AI.
The Government is taking a number of steps to support responsible research and promote ethical practices in the AI industry. The AI Regulation White Paper sets out 5 cross-sector principles which will guide and inform the responsible development of AI. In addition, this Government has allocated £2 million for the development of regulatory sandboxes for businesses to make it easier for them to navigate the regulatory landscape so they can bring innovative products to market whilst doing so in line with our principles
We will also continue to take a leading role in global standards development organisations, such as the ISO and IEC, to develop global AI technical standards that uphold our democratic values. In this context, the AI Standards Hub led by The Alan Turing Institute, in collaboration with the British Standards Institution and the National Physical Laboratory, and supported by the UK Government, will aim to grow the UK’s multi-stakeholder contribution to the development of global AI technical standards.
£8.5 million funding has been made available via the Arts and Humanities Research Council in June 2022 June for ‘Enabling a Responsible AI Ecosystem’, the first major academic research programme on AI ethics and regulation of this scale. This is complemented by the £117 million investment secured this year for new UKRI Centres for Doctoral Training – on top of £100 million for existing Centres funded in 2019 – which include ethics and social responsibility courses for the PhD candidates they train.
Announced in April this year, the Government is also establishing a Foundation Model Taskforce with £100 million start-up funding to ensure sovereign capabilities and broad adoption of safe and reliable foundation models. The Taskforce will focus on opportunities to establish the UK as a world leader in foundation models and their applications across the economy, and acting as a global standard bearer for AI safety.
Finally, Crown Commercial Service’s AI Marketplace dynamic purchase system for public sector procurement of AI, which operationalised the recommendations of the Office for AI’s procurement guidelines, has a baseline ethics standard for suppliers into government.
Our recently published white paper sets out a framework for regulating AI, which is underpinned by five cross-sectoral principles which will inform the responsible development and use of AI. These principles include ‘Appropriate transparency and explainability’ and ‘Fairness’.
As set out in the white paper, our iterative framework aims to ensure that AI systems are appropriately transparent and explainable, allowing for individuals, regulators and organisations to have access to appropriate information about an AI system, as well as to be able to interpret and understand the decision-making processes behind them. Together, appropriate transparency and explainability will help to drive trust and understanding of AI systems.
The white paper is subject to public consultation open until 21 June 2023.
In terms of AI systems used in delivering public services, the Government was one of the first in the world to implement an algorithmic transparency standard for use in public service delivery, allowing public sector organisations to provide clear information about algorithmic tools they use to support decisions, including why they are using them. The Government’s AI procurement guidelines also recommend that systems being procured should undergo an equality impact assessment in order to ensure that AI meets the needs of the diverse society it serves.
As part of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Change Programme, the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) pilots are testing innovative workforce models. The pilots aim to improve identification and support for children with speech, language and communication needs in early years and primary schools. ELSEC is not designed to identify neurodivergent children, although some of the speech, language and communication needs being addressed are likely to be associated with neurodivergence.
Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) is a jointly funded programme between NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education. It will deploy specialists from both health and education workforces to upskill mainstream primary schools and build their capacity to identify and meet the needs of children with neurodivergent needs. Adopting a whole-school approach, PINS is needs rather than diagnosis-led, and will include children without a formal diagnosis. Individual assessment or intervention or specific diagnostic tools are therefore not part of the programme.
Both programmes aim to intervene at an early stage in the child's education journey. Both will be formally evaluated to provide quantitative and qualitative information on impact. Learning from the programmes will be used to inform future policy development on how services and schools can support children with speech, language and communication needs or who are neurodiverse.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As part of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Change Programme, the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) pilots are testing innovative workforce models. The pilots aim to improve identification and support for children with speech, language and communication needs in early years and primary schools. ELSEC is not designed to identify neurodivergent children, although some of the speech, language and communication needs being addressed are likely to be associated with neurodivergence.
Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) is a jointly funded programme between NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education. It will deploy specialists from both health and education workforces to upskill mainstream primary schools and build their capacity to identify and meet the needs of children with neurodivergent needs. Adopting a whole-school approach, PINS is needs rather than diagnosis-led, and will include children without a formal diagnosis. Individual assessment or intervention or specific diagnostic tools are therefore not part of the programme.
Both programmes aim to intervene at an early stage in the child's education journey. Both will be formally evaluated to provide quantitative and qualitative information on impact. Learning from the programmes will be used to inform future policy development on how services and schools can support children with speech, language and communication needs or who are neurodiverse.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As part of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Change Programme, the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) pilots are testing innovative workforce models. The pilots aim to improve identification and support for children with speech, language and communication needs in early years and primary schools. ELSEC is not designed to identify neurodivergent children, although some of the speech, language and communication needs being addressed are likely to be associated with neurodivergence.
Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) is a jointly funded programme between NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education. It will deploy specialists from both health and education workforces to upskill mainstream primary schools and build their capacity to identify and meet the needs of children with neurodivergent needs. Adopting a whole-school approach, PINS is needs rather than diagnosis-led, and will include children without a formal diagnosis. Individual assessment or intervention or specific diagnostic tools are therefore not part of the programme.
Both programmes aim to intervene at an early stage in the child's education journey. Both will be formally evaluated to provide quantitative and qualitative information on impact. Learning from the programmes will be used to inform future policy development on how services and schools can support children with speech, language and communication needs or who are neurodiverse.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As part of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Change Programme, the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) pilots are testing innovative workforce models. The pilots aim to improve identification and support for children with speech, language and communication needs in early years and primary schools. ELSEC is not designed to identify neurodivergent children, although some of the speech, language and communication needs being addressed are likely to be associated with neurodivergence.
Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) is a jointly funded programme between NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education. It will deploy specialists from both health and education workforces to upskill mainstream primary schools and build their capacity to identify and meet the needs of children with neurodivergent needs. Adopting a whole-school approach, PINS is needs rather than diagnosis-led, and will include children without a formal diagnosis. Individual assessment or intervention or specific diagnostic tools are therefore not part of the programme.
Both programmes aim to intervene at an early stage in the child's education journey. Both will be formally evaluated to provide quantitative and qualitative information on impact. Learning from the programmes will be used to inform future policy development on how services and schools can support children with speech, language and communication needs or who are neurodiverse.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, which is part of the department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s impacts in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, on average, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months. It is rare to see this sort of impact from an educational programme on a national level, and fantastic testament to all those involved in delivering it to children over the last three years.
Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools, over two thirds of all primaries, have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. The funding for the 2023/24 academic year will be paid according to the grant payment schedule agreed with the Nuffield Foundation. The next payment is due March 2024.
The department took steps to ensure all delivery partners were content to continue delivering the offer whilst the grant arrangements were being made, in order to ensure continuity of the NELI programme in schools. Therefore, there should have been no impact on provision of the offer to schools this academic year.
Minister of State (Education)
The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, which is part of the department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s impacts in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made on average the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months. It is rare to see this sort of impact from an educational programme on a national level, which is a fantastic testament to all those involved in delivering it to children over the last three years.
Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools, over two thirds of all primaries, have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. To promote awareness and encourage uptake, the delivery partner will be engaging all registered schools through a mixture of regular communications, support, and targeted outreach. Furthermore, the department is working with the supplier on steps to engage and promote NELI to all schools this academic year and currently scoping activity for the 2024/25 academic year and beyond.
Minister of State (Education)
The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, which is part of the department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s impacts in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made on average the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months. It is rare to see this sort of impact from an educational programme on a national level, which is a fantastic testament to all those involved in delivering it to children over the last three years.
Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools, over two thirds of all primaries, have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. To promote awareness and encourage uptake, the delivery partner will be engaging all registered schools through a mixture of regular communications, support, and targeted outreach. Furthermore, the department is working with the supplier on steps to engage and promote NELI to all schools this academic year and currently scoping activity for the 2024/25 academic year and beyond.
Minister of State (Education)
The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, which is part of the department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s impacts in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made on average the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months. It is rare to see this sort of impact from an educational programme on a national level, which is a fantastic testament to all those involved in delivering it to children over the last three years.
Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools, over two thirds of all primaries, have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. To promote awareness and encourage uptake, the delivery partner will be engaging all registered schools through a mixture of regular communications, support, and targeted outreach. Furthermore, the department is working with the supplier on steps to engage and promote NELI to all schools this academic year and currently scoping activity for the 2024/25 academic year and beyond.
Minister of State (Education)
The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, which is part of the department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s impacts in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made on average the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months. It is rare to see this sort of impact from an educational programme on a national level, which is a fantastic testament to all those involved in delivering it to children over the last three years.
Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools, over two thirds of all primaries, have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. To promote awareness and encourage uptake, the delivery partner will be engaging all registered schools through a mixture of regular communications, support, and targeted outreach. Furthermore, the department is working with the supplier on steps to engage and promote NELI to all schools this academic year and currently scoping activity for the 2024/25 academic year and beyond.
Minister of State (Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to receive the right support to reach their full potential.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to ensure that a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, the department expects teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and provide support where it is needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, the department is implementing teacher training reforms. These reforms are designed to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the teaching workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan outlines the department’s vision to improve mainstream education by setting standards for the early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practitioner standards will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practitioner standards will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism. To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24, DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre- and post-diagnostic support, and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. However, from 2019, the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November 2023. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to receive the right support to reach their full potential.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to ensure that a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, the department expects teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and provide support where it is needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, the department is implementing teacher training reforms. These reforms are designed to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the teaching workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan outlines the department’s vision to improve mainstream education by setting standards for the early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practitioner standards will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practitioner standards will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism. To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24, DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre- and post-diagnostic support, and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. However, from 2019, the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November 2023. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to receive the right support to reach their full potential.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to ensure that a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, the department expects teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and provide support where it is needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, the department is implementing teacher training reforms. These reforms are designed to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the teaching workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan outlines the department’s vision to improve mainstream education by setting standards for the early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practitioner standards will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practitioner standards will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism. To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24, DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre- and post-diagnostic support, and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. However, from 2019, the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November 2023. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to receive the right support to reach their full potential.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to ensure that a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, the department expects teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and provide support where it is needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, the department is implementing teacher training reforms. These reforms are designed to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the teaching workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan outlines the department’s vision to improve mainstream education by setting standards for the early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practitioner standards will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practitioner standards will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism. To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24, DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre- and post-diagnostic support, and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. However, from 2019, the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November 2023. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to receive the right support to reach their full potential.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to ensure that a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, the department expects teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and provide support where it is needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, the department is implementing teacher training reforms. These reforms are designed to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the teaching workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan outlines the department’s vision to improve mainstream education by setting standards for the early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practitioner standards will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practitioner standards will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism. To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24, DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre- and post-diagnostic support, and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. However, from 2019, the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November 2023. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to receive the right support to reach their full potential.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to ensure that a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, the department expects teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and provide support where it is needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, the department is implementing teacher training reforms. These reforms are designed to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the teaching workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan outlines the department’s vision to improve mainstream education by setting standards for the early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practitioner standards will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practitioner standards will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism. To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24, DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre- and post-diagnostic support, and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. However, from 2019, the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November 2023. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to receive the right support to reach their full potential.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to ensure that a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, the department expects teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and provide support where it is needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, the department is implementing teacher training reforms. These reforms are designed to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the teaching workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan outlines the department’s vision to improve mainstream education by setting standards for the early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practitioner standards will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practitioner standards will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism. To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24, DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre- and post-diagnostic support, and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. However, from 2019, the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November 2023. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Funding for the identification of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care, however, the Department for Education provides a variety of funding streams which contribute to supporting early years children with SEND.
High needs funding is increasing by £440 million, or 4.3%, in 2024/25, compared to the high needs funding allocations for 2023/24. The total high needs budget for 2024/25 will be £10.54 billion. Further information on current government funding for high needs can be found in the high needs block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) here: https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/national-funding-allocations/DSG/2023-to-2024.
The Department offers a range of support for children with SEND. The Disability Access Fund (DAF) allows early years providers to make reasonable adjustments to their setting and to support the needs of DAF eligible children. Providers can receive £828 per year, per eligible child. From September 2023 to March 2024, following the introduction of the Early Years Supplementary Grant (EYSG), the EYSG payable rate for the DAF is an additional £30.92 per eligible child, on top of the current rate of £828. Details of the DAF currently paid to local authorities can be found in the early years block of the DSG here: https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/national-funding-allocations/DSG/2023-to-2024.
In addition, the Early Years National Funding Formula contains an additional needs element to take account of the number of 3 and 4-year-old children with additional needs in an area. Further, 2-year-old children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and/or an Education Health and Care plan are also eligible for the 15 hours free childcare entitlement for 2-year-olds.
Local authorities are required to have Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funds (SENIFs) for all 3 and 4-year-olds with Special Educational Needs (SEN) who are taking up the free entitlements. These funds are intended to support local authorities to work with providers to address the needs of individual children with SEN. Earlier this year, the department consulted on extending the requirement to establish SENIFs to all children accessing the entitlements from April 2024 and will be publishing the Government response shortly.
As stated in the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, published in March 2023, the department is reviewing the operation of SENIFs and will work with local authorities, providers and stakeholders to understand what improvements would support better outcomes for children with SEND. The department is also reviewing other associated elements of the wider current early years funding system, to ensure early years SEND funding arrangements are appropriate and well-targeted to improve outcomes for all pre-school children with SEND, and also to support the introduction of a national framework for bands and tariffs as per the SEND and AP Improvement Plan. Further information on the SEND and AP Improvement Plan can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63ff39e6e90e0740de2669fd/SEND_and_alternative_provision_improvement_plan_print_ready.pdf.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, part of the Department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s effects in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, on average, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months.
Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools (over two thirds of all primaries) have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the Department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. To promote uptake, the delivery partner will be engaging all registered schools through a mixture of regular communications, support, and targeted outreach.
The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, part of the Department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s effects in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, on average, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months.
Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools (over two thirds of all primaries) have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the Department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. To promote uptake, the delivery partner will be engaging all registered schools through a mixture of regular communications, support, and targeted outreach.
The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, part of the Department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s effects in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, on average, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months.
Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools (over two thirds of all primaries) have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the Department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. To promote uptake, the delivery partner will be engaging all registered schools through a mixture of regular communications, support, and targeted outreach.
The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, part of the Department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s effects in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, on average, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months.
Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools (over two thirds of all primaries) have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the Department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. To promote uptake, the delivery partner will be engaging all registered schools through a mixture of regular communications, support, and targeted outreach.
The department does not hold data on the average age children are identified with neurodivergent conditions.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), to be able to reach their full potential and receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and put support in place where needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, we are implementing high-quality teacher training reforms, which begin with initial teacher training and continues throughout their career progression. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the school and further education workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan set out our vision to improve mainstream education through setting standards for early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practice guides will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practice guides will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism.
To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24 DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre-and post-diagnostic support and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. From 2019 the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), to be able to reach their full potential and receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and put support in place where needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, we are implementing high-quality teacher training reforms, which begin with initial teacher training and continues throughout their career progression. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the school and further education workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan set out our vision to improve mainstream education through setting standards for early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practice guides will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practice guides will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism.
To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24 DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre-and post-diagnostic support and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. From 2019 the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), to be able to reach their full potential and receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and put support in place where needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, we are implementing high-quality teacher training reforms, which begin with initial teacher training and continues throughout their career progression. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the school and further education workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan set out our vision to improve mainstream education through setting standards for early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practice guides will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practice guides will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism.
To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24 DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre-and post-diagnostic support and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. From 2019 the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), to be able to reach their full potential and receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and put support in place where needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, we are implementing high-quality teacher training reforms, which begin with initial teacher training and continues throughout their career progression. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the school and further education workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan set out our vision to improve mainstream education through setting standards for early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practice guides will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practice guides will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism.
To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24 DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre-and post-diagnostic support and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. From 2019 the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), to be able to reach their full potential and receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and put support in place where needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.
To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, we are implementing high-quality teacher training reforms, which begin with initial teacher training and continues throughout their career progression. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the school and further education workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.
The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan set out our vision to improve mainstream education through setting standards for early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practice guides will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practice guides will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism.
To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.
The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24 DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre-and post-diagnostic support and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.
The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. From 2019 the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)