Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the measures and resources required to enable local authorities to provide education, health and care plans for all children with special educational needs who, without such plans, could be at risk of being effectively excluded from education provision.

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, local councils are required to conduct statutory education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments. These determine whether children and young people in their area have special educational needs which require additional support or provision. Where a local council deems that a statutory EHC plan should be issued, it is responsible for securing the special educational provision specified in the plan. If a maintained school, academy, non-maintained special school, general further education college or an independent provider on the section 41 approved list is named in an EHC plan, the institution must admit the child or young person.

The department has provided local councils with £252 million between 2014-15 and 2017-18. This supports local councils to embed the special educational needs and disability reforms, as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014.