Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support local authorities with the SEND system.

To ensure all local authorities have the capacity to undertake meaningful transformation planning and delivery while maintaining current services for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the department is investing £200 million to support local authorities to transform their SEND services.

Alongside this investment, regional teams of the department, as well as SEND and financial advisers appointed by the department, work closely with local areas to monitor progress, identify emerging risks and provide support where needed.

Local authorities and integrated care boards will be monitored for the delivery of high-quality, inclusive provision, and the department will intervene where expected standards are not met.

Areas experiencing challenges receive additional oversight, specialist advice and regular engagement to support improvement. Where serious concerns arise, the department may intervene directly, using statutory powers and the deployment of SEND advisers and commissioners to secure recovery and improve services for children and young people. Where necessary, this can include consideration of alternative governance arrangements where a local authority is found to be failing.