Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will conduct focus groups in the East Midlands with individuals who need equality adjustments to share their opinions in a non-written manner on the SEND Reform White Paper.

On Monday 23 February, we launched a full 12‑week consultation on our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms because we want to hear directly from people across the country who have an interest in these reforms.

To do that, we are building on our national conversation and delivering one of the widest engagement programmes we have ever run, reaching professionals, families, and children and young people to help shape these reforms together.

We are hosting a series of online and in‑person events throughout the 12-week consultation period in every region, including the East Midlands, with some sessions delivered in partnership with the Council for Disabled Children.

The department has a dedicated mailbox for SEND reform consultation responses and is accepting both written and non-written responses to consultation questions. The mailbox is available at: SENDreform.CONSULTATION@education.gov.uk.

The consultation, including accessible versions, can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first.