Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and Malling)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will issue guidance clarifying the (a) roles and (b) responsibilities of (i) local services and (ii) the third sector in the provision of specialist equipment for disabled children.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) in England are responsible for commissioning services to meet the health needs of their local population. NHS England Specialised Commissioning commissions complex disability equipment services, including communication aids, environmental controls, and prosthetics.
We expect ICBs to follow guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). In 2022, the NICE published the guidance Disabled children and young people up to 25 with severe complex needs: integrated service delivery and organisation across health, social care and education, which is available at the following link:
The Children and Families Act 2014 requires that education, health, and social care services must work together to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). In May 2023, NHS England issued statutory guidance setting out the requirement for ICBs to have an Executive Lead for SEND, who will lead on supporting the Chief Executive and the board in ensuring the ICB performs its functions effectively, in the interests of children and young people with SEND.
Local authorities are responsible for providing social care services for disabled children, which can include specialist equipment. The guidance on supporting disabled children and their carers is available at the following link:
Further guidance on the roles and responsibilities of different organisations in meeting the needs of children with SEND can be found in the SEND Code of Practice, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
Asked by: Abtisam Mohamed (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is providing targeted funding to help ensure that children with disabilities in Gaza are included in UK-funded humanitarian responses in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The plight of disabled children in Gaza is deeply distressing. They are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, and their access to healthcare is disproportionately affected in times of conflict. The UK continues to provide significant funding to partners to support those most in need, including £5.5m in additional funding for UK-Med to run field hospitals in Gaza, and an additional £6m for UNICEF to provide lifesaving aid to vulnerable families in Gaza. We are also the second largest donor to the 'Education Cannot Wait' fund which supports 5,000 children affected by the crisis, including those with disabilities. On 16 October, I announced £1 million of UK assistance to the World Health Organisation to support medically evacuated Palestinians in Egypt. These funds will provide vital supplies and medications, including rehabilitative equipment. We continue urgently to press Israel to ensure sufficient aid, including vital medical treatment, reaches civilians in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his 14 November call with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar.
Asked by: Abtisam Mohamed (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to work with (a) the Palestinian authority and (b) Egypt to identify (i) adults and (ii) children with disabilities in order to evacuate them for treatment in the UK.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK government is closely monitoring the impact of the conflict in Gaza on access to medical facilities and healthcare, including for disabled people. Through our support to UK-Med, we are helping to run field hospitals in Gaza. On 16 October, I announced £1 million of UK assistance to support medically evacuated Palestinians in Egypt. Through the World Health Organisation, the funds will provide vital supplies and medications, including rehabilitative equipment, and will strengthen capacity to care for patients with chronic diseases. UK funding to UNICEF is also providing lifesaving healthcare and specialist treatment to families in Gaza. We continue to press Israeli leaders on aid access including medical supplies: on 18 October the Prime Minister underlined that the dire humanitarian situation cannot continue. Israel can and must do more to ensure aid reaches civilians in Gaza.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps through the planning system to help increase the number of changing places toilets.
Answered by Jacob Young
Changing Places toilets were created to meet the needs of disabled children and adults with complex care needs who need carer support, appropriate equipment, and more space. A standard Changing Places toilet is at least 12m² and provides specialist equipment including a height adjustable adult sized changing bench, ceiling hoist and peninsular toilet.
In 2020 the Government changed the building regulation to ensure that all new builds with a larger capacity were required to install a Changing Places Toilets. All those buildings that fall outside of paragraph 5.7e of the Approved Document M, Volume 2 of the building rules are within scope for the funding delivered by DLUHC.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the technical capacity of schools to deliver digital support for children with (a) visual and (b) hearing impairment.
Answered by David Johnston
All schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children to prevent them being put at a substantial disadvantage.
To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant mandatory qualification, which is the Mandatory Qualification in Sensory Impairment (MQSI). Teachers working in an advisory role to support these pupils should also hold the appropriate qualification. The MQSI provides sensory impairment teachers with the specialist expertise needed to ensure that pupils with a visual or hearing impairment are supported effectively, including the use of assistive technology and specialist equipment.
The department commissioned an assistive technology rapid literature review which evaluated studies of assistive technology use with students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The report concluded that assistive technology is under-utilised and, alongside other recommendations, recommended developing assistive technology training courses for educators.
The department also runs a biennial technology in schools survey to capture up-to-date data on the current state, use and spread of technology within primary and secondary schools in England. Findings from the first survey will be published in 2023.
Following the promising results of a pilot training programme to increase mainstream school staff confidence using assistive technology, the government extended training to capture more detailed data on the impact on teachers and learners. The department will publish the impact report in May 2024.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government where an individual adult who has been identified with a special educational need caused by a recognised disability, or a parent or guardian of such an individual, can find information about the process of transferring from education into work.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The department wants to provide all young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with good opportunities that allow them to transition from education into a fulfilling adult life.
On 2 March 2023, the department published the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, in response to the Green Paper published in March last year. This outlines the government’s mission for the SEND and AP system to fulfil children and young people’s potential, build parents’ trust and provide financial sustainability.
The department committed to developing good practice guidance to support consistent, timely, high-quality transitions for children and young people with SEND and in AP. This will ultimately look at transitions between all stages of education from early years and will focus initially on transitions into and out of post-16 settings, including into employment.
We are also supporting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to develop and pilot an Adjustments Passport that will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs. The Adjustments Passport will capture the in-work support needs of the individual and the pilots will establish whether the passport can reduce the need for assessments where needs remain the same. This will empower the passport holder to have a more confident conversation with potential employers about workplace adjustments.
Schools and colleges are expected to develop and improve their careers provision for young people in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, addressing the individual needs of each pupil, and seeking to raise the career aspirations of students with SEND. A new £2.6 million careers programme will deliver targeted, age-appropriate careers support in over 2,200 primary schools, to encourage children to think about future jobs, raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes, including those about people with disabilities.
To ensure children and young people with SEND are aware of their options, careers guidance for pupils with SEND should take account of the full range of relevant education, training and employment opportunities, such as traineeships and apprenticeships, supported internships or routes into higher education.
For those with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, there must be a specific focus from Year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood, including employment, as part of their EHC plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.
The National Careers Service offers free, up-to-date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills, and the labour market in England. It helps people realise their full potential and supports social mobility by working with individuals to motivate them and develop their understanding of the full range of options open to them, whatever their background or circumstances. There's more information available at: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/.
DWP is running a series of programmes to support learning disabled people into employment, including the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support and Local Supported Employment. They are also working with employers via Disability Confident to increase their capacity to recruit, retain and support learning disabled employees.
Furthermore, Access to Work is a demand led, discretionary DWP grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable, paid employment.
The grant provides personalised support, including workplace assessments, travel to and in work, support workers, specialist aids and equipment including vehicle adaptations to enable disabled people and those with a health condition, to move into or retain employment. AtW can fund up to £66,000 worth of flexible, personalised support per person per year.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that those with an identified special educational need receive careers guidance, from the point of identification, that explains how to access government-provided workplace support for those special educational needs and disabilities throughout their adult working lives.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The department wants to provide all young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with good opportunities that allow them to transition from education into a fulfilling adult life.
On 2 March 2023, the department published the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, in response to the Green Paper published in March last year. This outlines the government’s mission for the SEND and AP system to fulfil children and young people’s potential, build parents’ trust and provide financial sustainability.
The department committed to developing good practice guidance to support consistent, timely, high-quality transitions for children and young people with SEND and in AP. This will ultimately look at transitions between all stages of education from early years and will focus initially on transitions into and out of post-16 settings, including into employment.
We are also supporting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to develop and pilot an Adjustments Passport that will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs. The Adjustments Passport will capture the in-work support needs of the individual and the pilots will establish whether the passport can reduce the need for assessments where needs remain the same. This will empower the passport holder to have a more confident conversation with potential employers about workplace adjustments.
Schools and colleges are expected to develop and improve their careers provision for young people in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, addressing the individual needs of each pupil, and seeking to raise the career aspirations of students with SEND. A new £2.6 million careers programme will deliver targeted, age-appropriate careers support in over 2,200 primary schools, to encourage children to think about future jobs, raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes, including those about people with disabilities.
To ensure children and young people with SEND are aware of their options, careers guidance for pupils with SEND should take account of the full range of relevant education, training and employment opportunities, such as traineeships and apprenticeships, supported internships or routes into higher education.
For those with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, there must be a specific focus from Year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood, including employment, as part of their EHC plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.
The National Careers Service offers free, up-to-date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills, and the labour market in England. It helps people realise their full potential and supports social mobility by working with individuals to motivate them and develop their understanding of the full range of options open to them, whatever their background or circumstances. There's more information available at: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/.
DWP is running a series of programmes to support learning disabled people into employment, including the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support and Local Supported Employment. They are also working with employers via Disability Confident to increase their capacity to recruit, retain and support learning disabled employees.
Furthermore, Access to Work is a demand led, discretionary DWP grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable, paid employment.
The grant provides personalised support, including workplace assessments, travel to and in work, support workers, specialist aids and equipment including vehicle adaptations to enable disabled people and those with a health condition, to move into or retain employment. AtW can fund up to £66,000 worth of flexible, personalised support per person per year.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the SEND review: right support, right place, right time, published on 29 March 2022, what steps her Department is taking to make it easier for parents of disabled children to receive financial support.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
The government has announced further support for next year designed to target the most vulnerable households, including those families raising disabled children. This cost of living support is worth £26 billion in 2023/24 in addition to benefits uprating, which is worth £11 billion to working-age households and people with disabilities. Further details on cost of living payments in 2023/24 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payments-2023-to-2024.
This means that over eight million households across the UK will be supported via additional Cost of Living Payments. The government is also increasing benefits in line with September inflation by 10.1% and will continue to provide support to all households through the Energy Price Guarantee, which caps the price households will pay for each unit of energy. This will save the average UK household £500 in 2023/24.
In addition, over six million people across the UK on eligible ‘extra costs’ disability benefits will receive a further £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment in 2023/24, to help with the additional costs they face. This is in addition to the cost of living payments for households on means-tested benefits and pensioner households, if eligible.
In 2023/24, the government is investing £27.3 million in Support for Families with Disabled Children Funding to support low-income families raising seriously ill or children with disabilities in England, by providing small grants to purchase equipment, goods, and activities, which would otherwise be inaccessible. This funding is currently administered by our delivery partner, the Family Fund Trust.
The government has provided £842 million for 2023/24 to County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England to support those most in need, and to help with global inflationary challenges and the rising cost of living via the Household Support Fund. Local authorities can decide how to run this scheme and who is eligible, but the funding is aimed at anyone who is vulnerable or cannot pay for essentials, which can include families raising children with disabilities.
Asked by: Robert Buckland (Conservative - South Swindon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle the backlog in health and services for disabled children.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
To tackle backlogs in elective care, including where accessed by disabled children, the Government plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to drive up and protect elective activity. This funding could deliver the equivalent of around nine million more checks and procedures and will mean the National Health Service in England can aim to deliver approximately 30% more elective activity by 2024/25 than before the pandemic.
In addition, the Department for Education is providing support for families of children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability). This support includes an investment of £6.1 million this financial year to strengthen the participation of parents and young people in the SEND system. The Department for Education is also investing £27.3 million this year to support low-income families with seriously ill or disabled with the cost of equipment, goods and services through Support for Families with Disabled Children Funding.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2023 to Question 135303 on Medical Equipment: Energy, when the Government plans to announce additional targeted support for energy bills; and whether those plans will include targeted financial support to families with children who receive life-saving treatment at home for chronic diseases and disabilities.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Autumn Statement set out a commitment to work with consumer groups and industry to consider the best approach to consumer protection from April 2024, including options such as social tariffs, as part of wider retail market reforms.
Officials are considering the options and proactively discussing these with stakeholders. As part of this work, the Government is working with disability organisations, assessing the need for specific support for disabled people including families with disabled children. The Government will set out its position when this assessment is complete.