Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of SEND Hubs on educational outcomes for children with SEND in West Dorset constituency.

The department is committed to encouraging schools and local authorities to set up resourced provision and special educational needs (SEN) units to increase capacity in mainstream schools and is working with the sector to increase capacity and extend best practice across the system.

The department has announced £3 billion in high needs capital to create 50,000 places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This builds on the £740 million high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision, including setting up resourced provision or SEN units in mainstream schools. Dorset received a high needs provision capital allocation of £5,023,392 for 2025/26. Funding for individual SEN units or resourced provision is the responsibility of the relevant local authority, with minimum place funding governed by the high needs operational guidance.

The department is launching national SEN unit/resourced provision peer networks, as part of the regional improvement for standards and excellence universal service offer on inclusive mainstream, to support frontline practitioners so that children benefit from high quality and consistent provision.

The department is also working with the Council for Disabled Children and the National Association for Special Educational Needs to develop guidance to help mainstream settings deliver high quality support for children and young people accessing SEN units, resourced provision, and pupil support units.