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<p>Local authorities provide support to certain children and young people with special
educational needs (SEN) through Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. A local authority
may choose, where statutory criteria are met, to make an ‘Education Otherwise than
in School’ arrangement, whereby the child or young person with the EHC plan receives
special educational support outside of a school or college.</p><p> </p><p>The department
are taking steps to improve the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
system. There are measures in place for the department to support and challenge local
authorities to improve their practice. Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission commenced
a strengthened local inspection framework in January 2023. Where local authorities
are failing, the department works with them, using a range of improvement programmes
and SEND specialist advisers to address weaknesses. Inspections under this new framework
will place greater emphasis on the outcomes that are being achieved for children and
young people with SEND, including those who are autistic.</p><p> </p><p>More generally,
as part of the department’s support for autistic young people, the department worked closely
with the Department of Health and Social Care to develop a refreshed cross-government
Autism Strategy. This was published in July 2021 and includes children and young people.
The strategy recognised the progress that has been made, as well as the challenges
and priorities for reducing inequalities, and enabling autistic people of all ages
to have the same opportunities as everyone else to lead healthy, happy and fulfilling
lives. The national strategy sets out the department’s vision to make life fundamentally
better for autistic people, their families and carers by 2026.</p><p> </p>
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