Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has undertaken a Children’s Rights Impact Assessment for recent changes to the regulations for (a) children’s social care and (b) children’s SEND provision.

A Children’s Rights Impact Assessment was undertaken for the recent changes to the regulations for children’s social care but not for the recent changes to the regulations for children’s special education needs and disabilities (SEND) provision. An Equality Impact Assessment was also conducted for both.

The potential impact on children and young people was a key factor in deciding what temporary changes to legislation would be appropriate. Both sets of regulations include a range of safeguards to limit any adverse impact, such as the Secretary of State for Education being under a duty to keep the effect of the legislative changes under review.