Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of whether children who are eligible for help with their speaking and understanding language are receiving targeted interventions under Departmental budgets beyond the early years and in their reception year.

All schools are required to identify and address the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) of the pupils they support, including those with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), and to use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person gets the support they need.

Schools, along with the local authority and health partners, should work with families to co-produce arrangements for delivering speech and language therapy.

The department recognises the impact that COVID-19 has had on children and young people with SLCN and has therefore consistently prioritised children with SEND.

We have provided additional uplifts for those who attend specialist settings (including special units in mainstream schools) in both the catch-up premium in the 2020/21 academic year and the recovery premium for the 2021/22 academic year, and a higher rate of funding for non-mainstream schools for school-led tutoring in recognition of the significantly higher per pupil costs they face.