Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what processes her Department will put in place to ensure children, young people and families remain involved in SEND decision-making where responsibility is assumed by the Department from a local authority.

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, local authorities are statutorily responsible for decisions relating to special educational needs (SEN), both in managing the ‘Local Offer; of services and provision for SEN and in decisions relating to individual children and young people’s Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP). Local authorities must work in co-operation with children, young people and their parents in fulfilling their statutory duties.