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Written question asked by Charlotte Nichols (Labour) on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 2 February 2026. It was answered by Georgia Gould (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Children: Speech and Language Disorders

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) availability and (b) consistency of guidance offered to parents of children with communication difficulties.

Answer

As part of our new investment, schools will be able to access support, advice, training and specialist expertise from professionals such as speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, occupational therapists and specialist teachers. These experts will work directly with school staff to equip them with the skills and strategies to better meet need, including delivering group‑level interventions to address needs early and effectively.

We will also set out guidance on inclusive, evidence-based ordinarily available provision through the National Inclusion Standards, to support all mainstream settings to meet the needs of all children and young people effectively. Schools will be required to produce an Inclusion Strategy, encouraging effective cohort-level planning for common and predictable needs and the meaningful implementation of inclusive education.

We also continue to involve and engage with families and special educational needs and disabilities stakeholders through our Participation and Family Support programme.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
109248
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Children Speech and language disorders
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk