Special Educational Needs
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) replacement and (b) reform of Education, Health and Care Plans retains legally enforceable provision for children and young people with SEND.
Answered by Georgia Gould
Under our proposed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms, new, improved education, health and care (EHC) plans will guarantee statutory entitlements for children who require specialist provision. Children and young people with SEND will have a digital Individual Support Plan which will provide a record of need and provision for any child or young person with SEND and settings will have a statutory duty to produce these.
For children and young people requiring specialist support, educational provision in a reformed EHC plan will be underpinned by evidence-based specialist provision packages commissioned by local authorities and delivered by settings. The SEND tribunal will remain as an important legal backstop for key decisions about EHC plans.
After a 12-week consultation period, including over 200 engagement events, meetings and roundtables, the department’s ‘SEND reform: putting children and young people first’ consultation has now closed. We are carefully reviewing all responses submitted to the consultation and continue to engage widely on our proposals.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →