Children’s therapists should not be redeployed, says government minister

Charities and professional bodies including the CSP have secured support from a government minister in their push to protect children’s therapists in England from redeployment

Children and Familes’ Minister,  Vicky Ford has stated that it was her department’s ‘clear expectation’ that redeployments should not take place..

The minister, who is in the Department for Education, said:  ‘NHSE’s medical directorate are the professional lead for therapists and the department continues to work closely with them and Public Health England as they plan for winter and through this period of new national restrictions to ensure that the needs of children with SEND are appropriately prioritised. NHSE are liaising with the Chief Allied Health Professional Team on this matter.  We welcome the fact that the Chief Nurse and the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health have already circulated advice on redeployment separately, as have mental health and learning disability services.  I strongly encourage that a similar, clear message is given on the redeployment and prioritisation of therapists for children and young people with SEND.’

In addition she refers to her earlier open letter addressed to all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their parents/carers and families, and others who support them (09/11/2020), in which she lays out the plan for accessing medical services and the expectation that the interventions for children and young people with SEND would be provided as usual.

The letter showcased the critical importance of children’s therapists and called for services to continue during the second wave of the pandemic.