Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve access to respite provision outside of term time for children with complex Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Yeovil constituency.

The department recognises the important role that short breaks provision outside of term time play in supporting children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families.

In February 2026, the department published the lessons learned report from the short breaks innovation programme, a three-year programme which explored approaches to improving the efficiency, effectiveness and accessibility of short breaks provision. The report highlights innovative practice and key learning from participating local authorities and is publicly available on GOV.UK to support local authorities in developing and improving their own offer.

The department is also carefully considering the recommendations made by the Law Commission in its 2025 report on disabled children's social care. The Commission highlighted the importance of short breaks as a key form of support for disabled children and their families and made recommendations relating to their provision. Ministers are considering the recommendations and will publish a response later this year.