Today, Tuesday 29 November 2022, the Department for Education (DfE) has published a letter from the Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP, Secretary of State for Education, sent to those working across the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) sector.
In the letter, the minister clarifies her commitment to improve the experiences of children and young people with SEND or in AP, within a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable system across education, health and care.
She sets out plans for publishing a response to the SEND Review consultation, working alongside the new ministerial team to understand the extensive feedback, before publishing a full response, in the form of an improvement plan early in the new year.
Ahead of the improvement plan being published, the Education Secretary has confirmed that children and young people with SEND will benefit from wellbeing and technology support straight away, with new funding announced for educational psychologists and assistive technology. This money will continue to support the system to deliver change and continue to improve the outcomes and experiences of children and young people with SEND and those who need alternative provision.
To read the letter in full click the link below.
Please also follow the second link for an article on how the Department for Education are improving support for children with SEND.
We welcome the letter to the sector from the Secretary of State for Education. It is important that the feedback from the consultation stage of the SEND and AP green paper is reflected on and heard. Children and young people need our support more than ever and we look forward to hearing more about the focus on delivery and the immediate steps that need to be taken to ensure systemic change and better outcomes for our children and young people.
Dame Christine Lenehan, Director of the Council for Disabled Children