Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to phase out Education, Health and Care Plans as part of its SEND reform proposals.

This government inherited a special educational needs and disability (SEND) system that has been failing to meet the needs of children and families for far too long. The department knows that families face real challenges getting education, health and care (EHC) plans where their children need them and ultimately, even after fighting to secure the entitlement, a plan does not guarantee that the right support will be delivered.

That is why the department is currently considering reforms to the SEND system and will be setting out proposals in a White Paper in the autumn. Our priority is improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, so that they can achieve and thrive. This means addressing the overall systemic issues that make SEND support so hard to access. As part of the work leading up to the White Paper, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has met a range of children, families and campaigners to explore how the SEND system can be improved.

At this stage the department has not made any decisions about the future of EHC plans. As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has said, there will always be a legal right to the additional support that children with SEND need.