Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding is available for ongoing professional development in SEND for teachers and support staff, and whether this provision meets demand.

The department’s core professional development offer, including Initial Teacher Training, the Early Career Framework, and national professional qualifications for leaders and Special Educational Needs Coordinators, is grounded in the latest evidence, reviewed by the Education Endowment Foundation and developed with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) experts to support effective practice.

We are investing over £200 million across this parliament to ensure that all teachers, educators, teaching assistants, support staff and leaders in every school, college and nursery are trained to support pupils with SEND. A further £1.6 billion of additional funding will be provided to mainstream settings over three years through the inclusive mainstream fund, to take meaningful steps to improve everyday support for pupils with SEND. This significant investment forms a central part of our SEND reform plans to ensure effective support for children and young people from early years to age 25.

Many practitioners already engage in SEND training, and this investment will extend access to high-quality professional development to more staff. We recognise the importance of ensuring provision keeps pace with workforce needs and are focused on both expanding access and maintaining quality.