Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on ensuring school environments are suitable to support (a) children with autism and (b) other neurodivergent children.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has regular discussions on a wide range of matters with Cabinet colleagues including the Secretary of State for Education.

The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Department for Education to ensure that children and young people with Special Educational Need and Disability (SEND), including autistic children, receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time. We are doing this through working together to implement the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, which was published on 2 March 2023.

In 2023/24, £4.2 million is available to improve services for autistic children and young people, as well as pre and post diagnostic support, including the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Autism in Schools is a national project which aims to ensure schools offer environments in which autistic students can thrive, supporting good mental health and promoting a sense of belonging.

On 22 November 2023, we announced the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programme. This new programme, backed by £13 million of investment, is a partnership between the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Education and NHS England and will bring together integrated care boards (ICBs), local authorities, and schools, working in partnership with parents and carer to support schools to better meet the needs of neurodiverse children. The programme will deploy specialists from both health and education workforces to upskill schools and build their capacity to identify and meet the needs of children with autism and other neurodiverse needs. The programme is expected to reach around 10% of mainstream primary schools. It will be evaluated, and learning will be used to inform future policy development around how schools support neurodiverse children.