Children: Day Care

(asked on 30th January 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the level of accessibility of childcare for disabled children.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 7th February 2018

The government is committed to promoting equality and inclusion for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Local authorities and providers must ensure that they meet their duties under the Equality Act 2010 and take full account of the SEND Code of Practice 0-25 when securing and providing free places.

The early implementation of 30 hours showed that local areas that had put in place measures to support the participation of SEND children were successful in delivering extended places to children with additional needs, including those with very complex needs.

We have put in place a range of measures to support local areas. Our National Funding Formula includes an additional needs factor which directs more funding to local authorities with more need. Our our Disability Access Fund, worth £615 per child, and the requirement that local authorities establish a SEN Inclusion Fund, will help to ensure children with SEND children can access and get the best from the free childcare entitlements.

Reticulating Splines