Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of specialist therapeutic providers.

The department knows that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) frequently require access to additional support from a broad specialist workforce across education, health and care, including speech and language therapists and other therapy services.

Across England, community health services, including therapies, are locally commissioned to enable systems to best meet the needs of their communities. The department is working closely with NHS England to improve access to community health services.

As part of the government’s mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future, the department will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school through expanding Mental Health Support Teams, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate.