Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services: interim Report on temporary provisions in the Coronavirus Act

Contents

Temporary Coronavirus Act provisions affecting disabled people

Care Act easements

A substantial raising of the threshold for social care

Reaction to the provisions

Process and safeguards

Extent of use and effects on disabled people

Pre-emptive triggering of easements

Transparency and accountability of the decision-making process

Addressing systemic weaknesses in the social care system

The case for repeal or suspension

Sectioning under the Mental Health Act 1983

Relaxed requirements for authorisation and extended time limits

Adaptability of the system

Reaction from the mental health sector

The direction of travel in Mental Health Act reform

Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans: relaxed duties and modified time limits

EHC Plan duties in the Children and Families Act 2014

Pre-existing problems in SEND provision

Coronavirus Act: section 42 (Children and Families Act 2014) notices

Wide variation in provision and interpretation of “reasonable endeavours”

The Special Educational Needs and Disability (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

Dealing with EHC Plan backlogs

Procedure for six-monthly parliamentary reviews of temporary provisions

Conclusions and recommendations

Published written evidence

List of Reports from the Committee during the current Parliament

Published: 25 September 2020