Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of educational psychologist provision; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on adequate provision of educational psychologists.

Local authorities are responsible for the recruitment and deployment of educational psychologists, who have statutory duties to input into educational health and care plans, as well as wider responsibilities in helping to support children and young people across the education system. The department works in partnership with local educational psychology services to ensure there is a steady flow of educational psychologists into the workforce.

Since 2020, we have increased the number of educational psychologists whose training we fund from 160 to over 200 per academic year.

The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Review is seeking to improve the outcomes and experience of all children and young people with SEND, within a sustainable system. The Review will publish as a green paper for full public consultation in the first 3 months of this year.