Edward Timpson said forthcoming legislative changes that will see SEN statements replaced by single education, health and care plans could not be offered to children in custody because it would “conflict with existing comprehensive statutory provisions”.
He was responding to a call from Labour’s shadow children’s minister Sharon Hodgson for an amendment to the Children and Families Bill.
During a parliamentary debate Hodgson said many inmates of young offender institutions required SEN support and cited research that showed 18 per cent of young offenders have a statement, compared with just two to three per cent of the general population.
“As it stands, they will not be able to continue to receive the support they were already getting if they are placed in custody, and nor will they be eligible for an assessment if someone working with them in the institution thinks they need one,” said Hodgson.
“This is not only counter-productive, in that it will severely limit these institutions’ ability to reduce reoffending through education, which is what we want them to do.”
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