Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he will take to record the training provided to (a) teachers and (b) teaching assistants on (i) autism and (ii) other neuro-diverse conditions.

All teachers are teachers of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The department is committed to ensuring that all pupils can reach their potential and receive excellent support from their teachers.

Consideration of SEND underpins both the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework and Early Career Framework.

All trainees who achieve Qualified Teacher Status must demonstrate that they can adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

Schools are given the freedom to train teaching assistants according to their needs. Teaching assistants can take a level three apprenticeship, which teaches apprentices how to support pupils with special educational needs and emotional vulnerabilities. Data for the number of starts can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-sector-apprenticeship-target. The department does not ask schools to collect data and report it back to us.

In February 2022 the department announced funding which includes nearly £12 million for the new Universal Services programme, to deliver SEND-specific continued professional development to the school workforce. This will help schools to support children and young people with SEND, including autism, and includes specific support on the needs of autistic children and young people.