Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department are taking to help ensure adequate staffing levels in local authority SEN teams.

In the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, published on 2 March 2023, the department committed to considering further the skills and training that local authority SEND casework teams receive. When consulting on amending the SEND Code of Practice, the department will propose new guidance on delivering a responsive and supportive SEND casework service to families. The SEND and AP Improvement Plan can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1139561/SEND_and_alternative_provision_improvement_plan.pdf.