Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the support available to young people up to the age of 25 with education, health and care plans who are no longer accessing education.

As part of our Plan for Change we are determined to improve outcomes for young people. We will set out plans for SEND reform in our Schools White Paper.

We are already taking action to improve preparation for adulthood, including continuing to invest in supported internships by providing up to £12 million to March 2026, delivered through the Internships Work consortium, building on previous investment from 2022-25. Supported internships are a work-based study programme for young people aged 16 to 24 who have an education health and care (EHC) plan, want to move into employment and need extra support to do so.

Arrangements under an EHC plan can continue up to age 25. As a young person is nearing the end of their time in formal education and their EHC plan is likely to be ceased within the next 12 months, the annual review should consider good exit planning.

Support, provision and outcomes should be agreed that will ensure the young person is supported to make a smooth transition to whatever they will be doing next, such as moving on to higher education, employment, independent living or adult care.