Special Educational Needs: Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 65744 on Special Educational Needs: Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder, if her Department will take steps to include the number of children with foetal valproate spectrum disorder in future statistic reports.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
The department does not have any plans to collect information on the numbers of children with special educational needs (SEN) who have foetal valproate spectrum disorder.
The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with foetal valproate spectrum disorder. The SEND code of practice makes it clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all pupils and put support in place where needed.
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