Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the delivery of comprehensive SEND training in early years qualification routes.

Through our Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy, the department will make inclusive practice standard practice in the early years by embedding an inclusive approach in our workforce education, training and leadership opportunities.

In 2023 the Early Years Educator level 3 qualification criteria were updated following a consultation with the sector. The new criteria include special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision as a standalone criterion, ensuring that there is now a greater focus on supporting children with SEND.

The department is funding training for 1,000 early years Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) to achieve their level 3 Early Years SENCO qualification by the end of the 2025/26 financial year, having already funded training for up to 7,000 early years SENCOs in previous years.

We have also published new resources, including a free online training module and SEND assessment guidance, to help early educators to identify, assess and support children in their settings.