Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to (1) children, and (2) young people, in full-time education who have myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

The department is committed to supporting pupils with medical conditions at school to ensure they have full access to education.

In 2014, the government introduced a new duty on schools to support all pupils with medical conditions. It published statutory guidance on this, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

The guidance does not specify which medical conditions should be supported in schools. Instead, it focuses on how to meet the needs of each individual child, and on how their medical condition impacts their school life.

Schools also have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments and to not discriminate against disabled children, including those with long-term health conditions, in relation to their education and associated services. Schools must make reasonable adjustments to their practices, procedures, and policies to ensure that they are not putting those with long-term health problems at a substantial disadvantage.