Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what mechanisms her Department is deploying to ensure compliance with the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, particularly in relation to SEND provision.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act received Royal Assent on 29 April. Different sections of the Act will be commenced, brought into force and given legal effect and implemented, at varying timescales depending on the specific measure, as well as when the associated secondary legislation and guidance, where relevant, has been updated or finalised. Once measures are brought into force, and where relevant, the department will publish further information about monitoring compliance. This approach applies to any relevant special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision within the Act.

As expected with legislation, post-implementation legislative scrutiny will be carried out where necessary to assess the effectiveness of the policy in practice and to consider any modifications that may be recommended, within the usual timescale of three to five years after Royal Assent.

On wider SEND reform, the Education for All Bill will enable the delivery of the SEND reform proposals, as set out in the White Paper, that require legislative underpinning and will be introduced in Parliament when Parliamentary time allows.