Children: Speech and Language Therapy — Written Question

Question

James Wild

Conservative — North West Norfolk

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan published on 2 March 2023, what the process will be for selecting Integrated Care Boards to be Early Language and Support For Every Child (ELSEC) pathfinders.

Answer

Claire Coutinho

The selection of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) is dependent on the lead local authority identification process and the subsequent mapping of Regional Expert Partnerships (REPs), based on geographical boundaries.

Lead local authorities and REPs will be testing and refining the system-level reforms set out in the Improvement Plan, including the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) pilot. Selection of lead local authorities will determine how and where a REP is formed, with the appropriate ICBs then forming part of the local area. Wherever possible, the local authorities forming a REP will sit within a single ICB to ensure close collaboration with health partners.