Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children in schools who have suffered acquired brain injuries.

​​Children who have had a brain injury can be affected in different ways. Some brain injuries will result in a special educational need (SEN) or a medical need, whilst others may affect a child in other ways.

​In whatever way a brain injury manifests, it is essential that the pupil’s individual needs are identified and supported appropriately. Support should be tailored to their own learning barriers, irrespective of their diagnosis. This is underpinned by the range of statutory duties on schools to support children with SEN, disabilities or medical conditions. Depending on the impact that an acquired brain injury has on the child accessing education, they may be entitled to support under any or all of these duties. For example:

• ​A mainstream school must use its ‘best endeavours’ to provide the right support for all its pupils with SEN.

• ​Schools must make arrangements to support their pupils with medical conditions.

• ​Schools must make reasonable adjustments to their practices, procedures and policies and not discriminate against their disabled pupils.