TULIP SIDDIQ MP

Vicky Ford MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families Sanctuary Buildings Great Smith Street HOUSE OF COMMONS London LONDON SW1P 3BT SW1A 0AA

7 January 2021 Dear Vicky,

I welcome the decision to keep schools open for vulnerable children and young people, and I am writing to seek clarification of key issues and reassurance on several concerns, including about special schools and children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Vulnerable children

Despite the increased risk of threats and other challenges for children during the first coronavirus lockdown, referrals for child protection and other children’s support services plummeted. With just 5% of vulnerable children attending school in April last year, many problems that are usually identified by teachers and support staff went unnoticed and unreported. As a result, many vulnerable children missed out on the support they needed.

We must not allow the same thing to happen during this lockdown, so you must ensure that there is a plan in place to safeguard vulnerable children. What steps are you taking to ensure vulnerable children can attend school during lockdown and how are you encouraging them to do so where it is in their best interests? What specific initiatives will the government implement to reach out to children whose problems are hidden during lockdown? And will there be additional support for child protection, mental health and other support services?

School closures and potential barriers to providing social care will significantly disrupt the lives of children in care and young carers. I would be grateful if you could set out your approach to supporting these groups during the lockdown, and confirm whether foster and kinship carers will be entitled to additional support with safety or to cope with the pressures of lockdown?

Special educational needs and disabilities

Many children with SEND will be remaining at home during this lockdown, and they will require accessible equipment and assistive technologies to support home learning and, in some cases, for social care support. Much educational provision in the first lockdown was not appropriately targeted to the needs of children with SEND and families felt abandoned by your government. Have lessons been learnt and is there a plan to deliver accessible support at home?

Member of Parliament for and Kilburn Telephone - 0208 127 5525 Email - [email protected] Twitter - @TulipSiddiq TULIP SIDDIQ MP

HOUSE OF COMMONS LONDON SW1A 0AA

There is significant concern that bubbles which are being tightly enforced at school and at home are being compromised on school transport, with children from different bubbles mixing in taxis. What is your plan keep children, their families and school transport staff such as drivers and passenger assistants safe, and will regular testing be available for the latter group?

Special schools

Special schools are in effect being asked to remain fully open during the lockdown, which will be very challenging given the pressures they are facing. There have been reports that some children with SEND have been told that they cannot be accommodated in special schools this week due to staffing pressures, despite government guidance stating that children with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans can attend school during lockdown.

What steps are you taking to ensure that all children with SEND who are best supported in school can attend special schools and other educational settings, including those without EHC plans? What additional support and guidance will be made available for special schools in light of the pressures of lockdown? Will you confirm if special schools are being expected to roll out mass testing from the start of this term as planned, and how they will be supported to do this? And what is your plan to keep specialist school staff working in fully open settings safe?

Finally, I would be grateful if you could provide me with a guarantee that the Government will not be bringing forward legislation to downgrade the legal rights of children in care and those with SEND of the kind that was implemented during the first coronavirus lockdown.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Tulip Siddiq MP Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years

Member of Parliament for Hampstead and Kilburn Telephone - 0208 127 5525 Email - [email protected] Twitter - @TulipSiddiq