Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Children and Families Act 2014 section 37, whether her Department has sought legal advice on the legal right to special educational provision.

This government’s ambition is that every child or young person receives the best possible educational experience, one that is academically stretching, where every child or young person feels like they belong, and that sets them up for life and work.

As part of our Plan for Change, we are determined to fix the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system and restore parents’ trust by ensuring schools have the tools to better identify and support children before issues escalate to crisis point.

We will continue to engage with key stakeholders and seek the appropriate legal advice as we look to build a better system which is grounded in evidence, identifies and supports need at the earliest opportunity, and ensures families can secure support swiftly without a fight. There will always be a legal right to the additional support that children with SEND need.