Special Educational Needs Assessments

11 Feb

Question

The Question session focused on the accessibility and resources for Special Educational Needs (SEN) assessments. The session opened with Charlotte Cane inquiring about cross-departmental efforts to improve access to these assessments. Stephen Kinnock, responding on behalf of the government, addressed existing delays in service delivery attributed to prolonged austerity impacts on local authorities.

Kinnock highlighted initiatives such as the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) program with a budget of £13 million aimed at early intervention and support for neurodiverse students. Additionally, the development of a taskforce by NHS England to enhance support for conditions like ADHD was important.

£13 million

Budget allocated to the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme.

Charlotte Cane further pointed out the funding disparities specific to Cambridgeshire, questioning whether high-growth areas with increased demand for SEN services could receive equitable financial support.

Kinnock responded by reinforcing the government's commitment to nationwide SEND improvement efforts, mentioning the early language support through the ELSEC programme aimed at identifying and supporting children with speech, language, and communication needs.

9 pathfinder sites

Under the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) programme aimed at speech, language, and communication support.

The discussion was further extended by Alistair Strathern, who highlighted the systemic under-prioritization by NHS trusts impacting children's health. Strathern urged for a prioritized approach within a broader NHS reform plan catering specifically to children with additional needs.

Kinnock again emphasized collaborative work among departments to enhance early health and educational intervention strategies, expressing his willingness to discuss these initiatives further.

Outcome

The session reaffirmed the government's commitment to enhancing SEN support and highlighted ongoing and future initiatives like PINS and ELSEC. Concerns about regional funding inequalities were acknowledged, though further scrutiny and follow-up actions were hinted at rather than explicitly committed to.

Key Contributions

Charlotte Cane

Liberal Democrats

Inquired about cross-governmental efforts to improve SEN assessment access. Expressed concern over cambridgeshire's low funding in GP and schools despite high demand for SEN and mental health services, urging government action to align funding with regional growth needs.

Stephen Kinnock

Clarified departmental efforts against service delays due to austerity, promoting PINS programmes, and mentioned NHS England's task force for ADHD. Reiterated universal commitment to SEN improvements and efforts to enhance early interventions through the ELSEC programme, emphasizing cross-agency collaboration.

Alistair Strathern

Labour

Highlighted local authorities' resource challenges and NHS prioritization issues, asking how children’s health would be prioritized in the NHS reform plan.

Original Transcript

Charlotte Cane

Ely and East Cambridgeshire

Question

UIN: 902687

11. What steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to increase access to assessments for special educational needs.

The Minister for Care

Stephen Kinnock

12:09

Children and young people with special educational needs are waiting too long for the NHS services that they need, in large part because local authorities have been hollowed out by 14 years of austerity.

We are supporting earlier intervention through the partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools—PINS—programme, which is backed by £13 million of funding.

NHS England has also launched a taskforce to look at how support can be improved for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. We look forward to its report later this year.

Charlotte Cane

Cambridgeshire has some of the lowest funding in England for GP practices and schools.

Given the Government’s focus on growth for the area and the record demand for special educational needs and disabilities and young people’s mental health services, will the Minister work with colleagues across Government to ensure that high-growth areas no longer suffer lower than average funding?

Stephen Kinnock

12:11

Our commitment to improving SEND conditions is universal. We are looking at this from the point of view of improving provision right across the country. I am very pleased that the PINS programme is making progress. I draw the hon.

Lady’s attention to the early language support for every child—ELSEC—programme, in which nine pathfinder sites over two years will provide early identification, and targeted and universal support for children with speech, language and communication needs in early years and primary school settings.

We are working very closely with colleagues across the Department for Education and NHS England on that.

Alistair Strathern

Hitchin

Lab

Local authority resources are a big driver of some challenges in the SEND system, but it is clear to anyone working in it that a systemic under-prioritisation of children’s health, all too often by local NHS trusts, is a big contributing factor.

Young people right across my constituency waiting for assessment and lacking support are paying the price. As part of our 10-year plan to reform the NHS, how will we ensure that children’s health is front and centre again, with much more support for people with additional needs?

Stephen Kinnock

I am working very closely with colleagues in the DFE on how we mainstream SEND provision more effectively, get more rapid education, health and care plans and autism diagnoses, and on a whole range of issues that require strong cross-party work. I would be happy to brief my hon.

Friend on that separately.

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