Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of issuing guidance to schools on (a) the potential impact of Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder on learning abilities and (b) supporting children with Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder in education settings.

The government recognises that children who have Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder (FVSD) can present with a range of learning needs, and thus schools have a legal responsibility to support them. Schools must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person gets the special educational provision they need, this includes monitoring the progress of pupils regularly and putting support in place where needed, which may include a specialist assessment.

The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice sets out that all schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’ when deciding on the provision to be made for a particular child or young person with special educational needs, such as FVSD.

Pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education. In 2014, the government introduced a duty on schools to support pupils with all medical conditions and published statutory guidance intended to help governing bodies meet their legal responsibilities. This guidance sets out the arrangements they are expected to make, based on good practice. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and should have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed.

‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with SEND, including those with FVSD.