Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support children with special educational needs and disabilities to receive an education, health and care plan.

The department knows that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care plan processes. The department will work across the sector to provide support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or needing alternative provision and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and alternative provision settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

Where local authorities are failing to deliver consistent outcomes for children and young people with SEND, the department works with them using a range of support and challenge, improvement programmes and SEND specialist advisors to address identified weaknesses.