Request for questions to Minister responsible for SEND reforms

As you know, changes to the arrangements for young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) will be implemented from 1 September this year. This means big changes for colleges, with some important new statutory duties, including a duty to ‘have regard’ to the new SEN Code of Practice, a duty to co-operate with the local authority to identify and meet the needs of young people with SEN and the duty to admit students if the college is named in an Education, Health and Care Plan (which will replace Learning Difficulty Assessments). A recent survey by AoC showed that the vast majority of colleges feel at least reasonably confident that they are ready to fulfil their new legal duties from 1 September. But of course, a lot of questions remain – which is why Edward Timpson, the Minister responsible for SEND reforms, has agreed to answer questions from FE principals and their wider workforce. This is an opportunity for you to raise your concerns and queries directly with the Minister. His responses will be published on our website. If you have any questions, please send them to Pauline Odlin by 15 August.