Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2026 to Question 24473, which (a) organisations and (b) professional bodies with specific expertise in selective mutism have been consulted by her Department or its independent expert panel on the development of the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages, and on what dates; whether the Selective Mutism Information and Research Association has been invited to contribute; and how the panel will determine the inclusion of selective mutism-specific provision within the proposed packages.

An independent expert panel, selected for their skills, knowledge and professional standing and led by education and health co-chairs, has been appointed to oversee the development of the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages and keep them under regular review. The panel will draw on evidence from academics, education leaders and specialist practitioners, including educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. This process is ongoing. The panel has not specifically invited the Selective Mutism Information and Research Association to contribute to the standards to date, but the panel is continuing to test and engage widely with stakeholders from across the sector to ensure their recommendations are informed by professionals, and those with lived experiences of selective mutism and associated needs. By 2028, we will have invested up to £15 million to build the evidence base and provide the standards.