Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the Government plans to hold (a) Integrated Care Boards and (b) other parts of the health service to account in the event that they fail to meet their legal duties in respect of provision of support to children with SEND and their families.

The Care Quality Commission and Ofsted’s joint inspections of special educational needs and disability (SEND) services within integrated care system areas will provide an independent, external evaluation of a local area’s arrangements for children and young people with SEND. Where appropriate, recommendations can be made for improvements. These inspections of local areas will provide information to the Government on the effectiveness of service and enable action to be taken where necessary.

Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, NHS England will have powers of intervention where an integrated care board has failed, or is at risk of failing, to meet its statutory obligations with regards to children and young people with SEND.