Oral Answers to Questions

Richard Foord Excerpts

Monday 4th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mike Martin (Tunbridge Wells) (LD)]

6. What steps her Department is taking to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

[Richard Foord (Honiton and Sidmouth) (LD)]

15. What steps her Department is taking to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

[Alison Griffiths (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) (Con)]

16. What steps her Department is taking to support children with SEND.

--- Later in debate ---

[Catherine McKinnell]

I am sorry to hear about the challenges faced by the hon. Gentleman’s constituent. Local authorities have been impacted by the increased demand for education, health and care plans and by workforce capacity issues, so more efficient and effective service delivery and communication with schools and families is central to turning that around. We will work as quickly as possible to ensure a more effective response and early identification for children, and I will take away the particular example he raises.

[Richard Foord]

Devon county council is spending £55 million on private provision for special educational needs and disabilities, without enough quality control by the county council. State schools in mid and east Devon want to be able to help provide more SEND specialists and teaching assistants, but EHCPs are prescribing one-to-one care with just £3,000, which is hardly enough for one-to-one provision. Will the Government consider setting up more SEND resource bases in Devon?

[Catherine McKinnell]

The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. It is vital for turning around the current situation faced by far too many parts of the country. There is not sufficient mainstream inclusion for children with special educational needs, there are not enough specialist units as part of mainstream school inclusion, and we do not have the specialist places needed, so I will, of course, take away the hon. Gentleman’s specific example.