Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of delays experienced in getting a diagnosis of autism on parents' ability to apply for an Educational, Health and Care Plan.

The department recognises that there can be long waits for autism assessments. In 2023/24 there is national funding from government of £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people, including to continue to transform and develop autism assessment and diagnosis and/or pre- and post-diagnostic support to children and young people (aged 0-25), and to support the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme.

Additionally, NHS England has recently published a national framework to deliver improved outcomes in all-age autism assessment pathways and the Operational Guidance to deliver improved outcomes in all-age autism assessment pathways.

The department is committed to ensuring children who need education, health and care (EHC) plans are supported. The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice is clear that, whilst the application for an EHC needs assessment requires evidence to proceed and that a diagnosis would be considered in this way, it is not a requirement for a formal diagnosis to be made before this process can begin. Where an NHS diagnosis has not been received, the assessment process can still be started and an EHC plan put in place.