Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many local authorities have requested easements on statutory duties for (a) children’s social care and (b) special educational needs provision since the start of the covid-19 outbreak; and what assessment he has made of the effect of those absences on the adequacy of provision of those services.

As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

Our latest guidance on supporting vulnerable children is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.

Following the regulation changes made on Friday 24 April, decisions to make use of the flexibilities provided for children’s social care need to be agreed at senior manager level and decisions properly recorded. The amendments should only be used when absolutely necessary and must be consistent with the overarching safeguarding and welfare duties that remain in place. Guidance relating to the regulation changes is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-childrens-social-care-services.

The temporary changes to special educational needs and disabilities law came into force on Friday 1 May. They modify various duties on local authorities, health commissioning bodies and others, principally in relation to education, health and care needs assessments and plans.

Detail of the rationale for the changes and the intended impact is set out in:

• The Coronavirus Act 2020 Modification of section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014 (England) Notice 2020, which is available here:
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/modification-notice-ehc-plans-legislation-changes; and
• The Explanatory Memorandum to The Special Educational Needs and Disability (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, which is available here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/471/memorandum/contents.

These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.