Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether free at the point of use care under the proposed National Care Service will apply to (a) adults under the age of 65 with assessed care needs, and (b) whether the entitlement will cover accommodation and living costs, in addition to personal care.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Baroness Casey has made clear that one of the core purposes of the Big Conversation on Care that she is leading is to hear from people, families, carers, and others with direct, real-life experience of the current social care system, so she can reflect those experiences in her recommendations for reform. That will include individuals aged under 65 years old in need of care, and the individuals caring for them. The Government will wait for the outcome of Baroness Casey’s review before taking any final decisions.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of late or absent identification of dyslexia on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Effective timely identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. We recognise that special educational needs do not always become apparent in the early years of education, and that needs can emerge, change or become more visible during adolescence as social, emotional and academic demands increase

The Code of Practice makes it clear that we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all pupils and put support in place where needed. Access to targeted educational support should not be dependent on a child or young person having a diagnosis. Instead, evidence-based support should be put in place at the earliest possible point following the identification of a need. This is to ensure that children and young people do not miss out on high-quality teaching and support, which limits progress, confidence, independence, and future life chances.

To support settings, we are strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve timely identification in mainstream settings. The department has appointed an independent expert panel to develop the National Inclusion Standards that set out evidence-informed tools, strategies and approaches for educators to draw on to identify and support children and young people with additional needs.

We are clear that education settings have an ongoing and important role to play in promoting and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their pupils.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities to develop coordinated pathways into education, training and employment for neurodivergent young people.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is committed to ensuring neurodivergent young people and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have clear, coordinated pathways into education, training and employment. Local authorities have statutory responsibilities to support participation and effective preparation for adulthood.

Through SEND reforms, the department is strengthening transitions between education and adult life, improving information sharing and supporting pathways including apprenticeships and Supported Internships. Youth Guarantee Trailblazers are testing approaches for young people at risk of becoming NEET.

The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper complements this by strengthening local coordination across skills, employment, health and transport. Post-16 qualification reforms will provide clearer, inclusive routes into further study, apprenticeships and skilled employment, with providers able to tailor support to individual needs. We are also developing technical education routes from age 14, working with Strategic Authorities to create a consistent national framework that can respond to local labour market needs and growth priorities.

Sir Patrick Stewart