Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the Sixth Report of the Education Committee, Pre-legislative scrutiny: special educational needs, HC 631, what plans he has to establish a national framework for local offers.
[144913]
Answer
The Children and Families Bill, introduced to Parliament in February 2013, includes proposals for local authorities in England to publish a local offer of services for children and young people with special educational needs, including those who are disabled. The local offer would enable families to see readily what they can expect from mainstream services across education, health and social care; how to access more specialist support; how decisions are made including eligibility criteria for accessing services where appropriate; and how to complain or appeal.
Local authorities would be required to involve local children, young people and families in developing their local offer to take account of their needs and aspirations. A common framework for the local offer will be set out in regulations and the special educational needs Code of Practice. These detailed requirements will be informed by the learning and effective practice developed by the pathfinders.