Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the report Disability Matters in Britain 2016, what steps his Department is taking to support school nurses and the services they provide to disabled children in schools.

The Department and Public Health England (PHE) have produced guidance to support both commissioners and local providers including the 0-19 commissioning guidance. The materials are based on evidence and good practice. Key officials at the Department and the team at PHE are working with the Local Government Association and locally through PHE Centres to share evidence and guidance.

Generally school nurses are not commissioned to deliver clinical support for children with disabilities, this function would be commissioned by clinical commissioning groups and may be provided by community children’s nurses or specialist school nursing services.