Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it plans to have with the independent panel of experts developing recommendations for the UK Department for Education and UK Department of Health of Social Care on the design, structure and content of the draft National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages.
Proposals announced by The Department for Education in April 2026 seek to implement major structural change to the system of support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
As part of the proposals, expert panels are being established to develop recommendations on the design, structure and content of the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages. These expert panels will establish the recommended level of support required for children and young people in both mainstream settings and specialist provisions as well as identifying the appropriate means of delivering this support.
Scottish Government officials are actively engaged with colleagues within the Department for Education on the ongoing reforms, and will engage with the Expert Panels for National Inclusions Standards and Specialist Provision Packages where appropriate.