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Adoption and Kinship Care: Special Educational Needs

Asked by Dr Luke EvansConservativeDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 9 February 2026UIN 100418

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to capture the needs of adoptive and kinship families as part of the SEND White Paper.

Answered by Georgia Gould

The department is committed to ensuring parents and carers play a central role in helping shape the future special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system through our National Conversation including in-person and online events, as well as inviting views online.

Our SEND regional engagement events bring together diverse stakeholder groups for meaningful dialogue. In addition, we have organised online sessions with Ministers and expert panels to discuss the department’s five principles of reform. Full details, including ways to share views and resources for engaging children, young people, teachers, and others, are available at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-reform-national-conversation/.

This is not a formal consultation but an expansion of ongoing engagement to ensure parents’ voices are heard. The Schools White Paper, due early next year, will outline our proposed SEND reforms and will be followed by a formal consultation and further engagement.

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