Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of mental health support available to families and carers of children with SEND in North East Hampshire.

We recognise that families and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can face significant pressures, including on their mental health and wellbeing, and are not always able to access the support they need. Decisions about the design and delivery of local mental health and SEND services in North East Hampshire are made by local commissioners and providers to meet the needs of their population. However, we are committed to ensuring that the National Health Service provides timely, effective support for those experiencing mental health difficulties.

Through the 10-Year Health Plan, we are expanding access to NHS Talking Therapies so that more people, including parents and carers experiencing anxiety and depression, can get evidence-based support. We are also expanding access to mental health support teams in schools and colleges, which support children and young people and can also work with parents and carers where appropriate, to reach full national coverage by 2029. In addition, NHS services continue to provide specialist community-based support for children and young people with more complex needs.

Other support is available to families and carers of children with SEND. SEND Information, Advice and Support Services (SENDIAS), provided by local authorities, offer free impartial, confidential, and legally based information, advice, and support across education, health, and social care. The Department for Education is also putting more money into parent carer forums and local SENDIAS services, so parents have access to good, independent advice that helps them understand their rights and navigate the system with confidence.

More broadly, the Schools White Paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving and the SEND Reform consultation document set out the Government’s ambitions to transform outcomes for children, young people, and their families who have been let down for far too long. Following the closure of the SEND Reform consultation on 18 May, consultation responses are being reviewed alongside feedback gathered through more than 200 engagement events held over a 12‑week period.