Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support the families of children unable to return to (a) mainstream and (b) special school.

The department recognises that some pupils find it harder than others to attend school. It is therefore very important that schools and partners work closely with pupils and parents to remove any barriers to attendance by building strong and trusting relationships and working together to put the right support in place.

If a child of compulsory school age is still unable to access a mainstream or special school place, the local authority, under section 19 of the Children's Act 1996, has a duty to arrange alternative suitable and, typically, full-time education for the child.

Placements into alternative provision (AP) should focus on enabling the child to overcome any barriers to learning they may have and to assist them back into mainstream education. All placements should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are meeting these objectives.

Departmental guidance states that a child’s family should always be consulted before AP is arranged. This is because we know that families have an important role to play throughout the planning and commissioning of a child’s placement, as they can provide necessary information about the child and their needs. This guidance, last updated in January 2025, is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alternative-provision.