Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what mechanisms she has put in place to ensure that funding disputes between health providers and local authorities do not stall a placement for a young person with SEND.

Where a child or young person’s education, health and care plan names a school, college or early years setting, the local authority must secure a place. When a state-maintained school or setting is named, it is under a statutory duty to admit the child or young person.

Local authorities are statutorily responsible for securing special educational provision, which is funded from their high needs budget, and children’s social care provision. Integrated Care Boards, as set out in Section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014, are responsible for arranging, securing and funding the provision of health services or facilities for children and young people aged 0-25 with SEND, with an education, health and care plan. The legal mechanisms are already in place regarding joint working and commissioning arrangements, which are set out in the Children and Families Act 2014 Part 3 and under Section 26.