Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the I CAN and Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' report, Bercow: ten years on, published on 20 March 2018, what steps his Department is taking with the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care to implement the recommendations in that report.

We recognise that young people with speech and language difficulties are particularly vulnerable. We are seeking to ensure that practitioners who work with children and young people in settings with a known high prevalence of speech, language and communication needs are trained in recognising and responding appropriately to communication needs, and ensuring access to speech and language therapy as required.

Over the past three years MoJ and the YJB have supported a national project, led by the Department for Education, to deliver special educational needs and disability (SEND) awareness training to the youth justice workforce. The Youth Justice SEND Bubble programme offered free training to Youth Justice System professionals, supporting them to effectively identify and meet children’s special educational and disability needs and allowing them to work towards more effective engagement and positive long-term outcomes.