Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of (a) involving SEND groups that have not to date been involved in the SEND Review in that process and (b) expanding the franchise of stakeholders beyond the National Network Parent Carer Forum in that review process.

The government continues to work extensively with a broad range of partners to ensure that proposals from our special educational needs and disability (SEND) Review translate into improved outcomes for children and young people, with a focus on preparing them for later life and adulthood.

Ministers and officials are meeting a widespread group of stakeholders, as well as establishing a new steering group in September 2021 that brings together government departments with representatives of parents, schools, colleges and early years, local government, health and care and independent experts. The group is helping the government conclude the SEND Review at pace and advise on proposals to be set out in a SEND Green Paper to be published in the first three months of 2022. Please see the following for further details about the new steering group: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/send-review-steering-group.

Public consultation of our proposals will provide an opportunity to hear further from children and young people, parents and those who work with them so they can continue to shape and challenge our thinking.