On 23rd February, the Government published its long-awaited proposals to overhaul England’s system for supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Released alongside the new Schools White Paper, the SEND reform proposals aim to improve early identification of needs, strengthen inclusion in mainstream schools, and reduce reliance on formal legal plans such as Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

For parents, the key question is whether the reforms will make it easier for children to receive the right support at the right time, or whether they could make it more difficult to secure the help some children need.

Why is SEND reform happening?

The SEND system has been under mounting pressure for years. Since the introduction of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in 2014, the number of children with plans has more than doubled.

Local authorities face significant deficits, tribunal appeals have risen sharply, and many families report long delays and adversarial battles when trying to secure support.

The Government believes the system has become:

  • Too bureaucratic
  • Too inconsistent across different regions
  • Too reliant on legal processes
  • Financially unsustainable

So, what exactly is the Government proposing to change?

The big shift: From EHCPs to ISPs

One of the most significant proposals is the introduction of Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for all children identified with SEND.

Currently:

  • Only children with EHCPs have a legally specified, detailed plan.
  • Many children receiving SEND support in schools do not have a legally enforceable provision.

Under the proposed model:

  • Every child identified with SEND would have a digital Individual Support Plan.
  • ISPs will be a legal obligation for schools (including maintained nursery settings, school-based nurseries, and colleges).
  • EHCPs would be reserved for children with the most complex needs.
  • EHCPs would be reviewed at key transition points – when children start primary school, move to secondary school, and at ages 16 and 18.
  • The SEND tribunal system would continue to act as an important safeguard for children with EHCPs.

What this means:

For some families, this could mean:

  • Earlier recognition of needs.
  • Clearer expectations of what schools must provide.
  • Less need to pursue statutory assessments in order to secure additional support.

However, some critics are concerned that reducing the number of EHCPs could weaken parents’ legal protections, particularly around enforceable provision and tribunal rights.

The Universal offer

The proposals are built around a graduated approach to support, starting with a Universal offer.

The Universal offer refers to the support that should be available to all children within mainstream education as part of high-quality teaching and inclusive classroom practice.

The intention is that many children’s needs will be met through universal provision alone, without the need for extra interventions. Targeted and specialist support would then be added where children require additional help.

A tiered model of support

SEND support would be organised into three flexible levels: Targeted, Targeted Plus, and Specialist support.

Children and young people would be able to move between levels as their needs change.

1. Targeted

Targeted support involves structured interventions within mainstream education for children whose needs go beyond the universal offer but are still relatively common.

This could include:

  • Small-group interventions
  • Personalised learning materials
  • Pre-teaching key vocabulary

Support would be recorded and reviewed through the child’s Individual Support Plan.

2. Targeted Plus

Targeted Plus support is intended for children whose needs require more specialist involvement.

This level would be would be supported by the proposed “Experts at Hand” service, which aims to improve access to specialist professionals, including:

  • Educational psychologists
  • Speech and language therapists
  • Occupational therapists

Children may also access inclusion bases within mainstream schools, which provide quieter learning environments and small-group teaching.

In some cases, Targeted Plus support may also involve outreach from specialist settings or short-term access to alternative provision.

A teacher is supporting a small group of students with SEND.

3. Specialist

Support at this level would be delivered through Specialist Provision Packages.

These packages would be:

  • Developed by an independent panel of education, health and care specialists
  • Informed by discussions with children and families
  • Used as the basis for EHCP provision for children in this group

It could also include placement in specialist settings or access to highly specialised provision within a mainstream setting.

Specialist Provision Packages

Specialist Provision Packages (SPPs) are a new part of the SEND reforms designed for children and young people with the most complex needs.

Under the proposals:

  • SPPs are nationally defined, evidence‑based descriptions of the specialist support a child should receive across education, health and care.
  • They aim to standardise what support children are entitled to, so families across England shouldn’t see big differences from one area to another.
  • For children assessed as needing an SPP, their EHCP will be based on that package, which clearly sets out the services, interventions and resources needed.

The Government has published an outline of what Specialist Provision Packages may include, but this is currently only a draft framework. The document states that the outline is indicative and may change, with further packages or amendments likely to be developed to ensure the system reflects the full range of support children and young people with complex needs may require.

Investment in inclusion

The overall intention of the reform is to strengthen mainstream provision so that specialist support becomes more accessible, without families necessarily needing to go through the statutory EHCP process.

The Government has pledged significant investment to make this shift possible, including:

  • Funding to improve SEND capacity in mainstream schools
  • Expansion of specialist units and “inclusion bases”
  • Increased access to “Experts at Hand” within local areas

The government has also said it will increase the number of specialist schools and alternative provision places for those with the most complex needs.

The principle underpinning the reform is that more children should be able to attend local mainstream schools successfully, rather than relying on separate specialist placements wherever possible. If delivered effectively, this could reduce long travel times for pupils and help keep children within their local communities.

A teacher supporting a student with SEND in the classroom.

What are the SEND system reform concerns?

While many welcome the focus on early intervention and inclusion, concerns include:

Legal rights

Parents’ groups fear that reducing EHCP eligibility could weaken enforceable rights. If fewer children qualify for EHCPs, fewer families may have access to the stronger legal protections and appeal routes currently attached to those plans, including the ability to challenge decisions through the SEND tribunal system.

These legal safeguards can be important when disagreements arise about the support a child needs or when provision set out in a plan is not delivered.

Individualised provision

Some legal experts and advocacy organisations have also raised concerns about a possible shift away from individualised provision based on a child’s assessed needs, towards more standardised national packages of support. They argue that this could weaken the legal framework established by the Children and Families Act 2014, which was designed to ensure that support is tailored to each child rather than limited to a pre-set offer.

School capacity

Mainstream schools already face workforce and resource pressures. Delivering higher levels of SEND support will require:

  • Adequate staff training
  • Sufficient staffing
  • Sustainable funding

Without these, there are concerns that the expectations placed on schools may be difficult to meet.

Why this reform matters

This is the biggest reshaping of SEND policy since 2014.

If implemented well, the reforms could:

  • Provide earlier intervention
  • Strengthen inclusion in mainstream education
  • Reduce disputes between families and local authorities

If underfunded or poorly implemented, however, some experts warn the reforms could increase pressure on schools and weaken families’ ability to secure guaranteed support.

When will the SEND reform changes happen?

If you are currently navigating the SEND system, it’s completely understandable to feel anxious about what reform might mean for your child. The key message is that nothing is changing immediately.

The proposals are still at the consultation stage and are not yet law.

  • Parliament must approve new legislation first, meaning there will be further scrutiny and debate before any major changes take effect.
  • Your child’s current EHCP remains legally protected until any new legislation is introduced. There will be no change to the support set out in existing EHCPs.
  • Changes will be phased in gradually, and there will be no changes to EHCP eligibility or transitions before September 2030.
    • Children who are currently in Year 3 or above will keep their existing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) until at least the age of 16.
    • Children who are currently in Year 2 or below will have their support reviewed again at the transition from primary to secondary school.

Further details of the proposed timeline can be found here: What parents of children and young people with SEND need to know.

Next steps

The SEND reform proposals are currently part of a public consultation process led by the Department for Education (DfE).

The consultation closes at 11:59 pm on 18 May 2026.

You can get involved by:

  • Reading the consultation documents to understand the proposals in more detail.
  • Responding to the consultation through the official government website.

Remember, while the proposals are poised to bring significant changes, this is still the early stage of the process. If you have concerns about how the proposals might affect your child’s support, it may also be helpful to speak with your child’s school, local SEND services, or parent advocacy organisations.

The Government’s SEND reform proposals signal a shift towards earlier identification of needs, stronger inclusion within mainstream schools, and less reliance on formal legal plans such as EHCPs.

For families, the reforms could bring significant changes in how support is provided, how quickly needs are identified, and how specialist help is accessed. Much will depend on how the reforms are implemented, the level of funding that follows, and whether schools are equipped to deliver the new expectations.

Links to SEND reform and schools white paper documents:

Links to organisations providing support and guidance:

  • IPSEA: Independent Provider of Special Education Advice
  • SOS SEN: Charity helping parents and carers secure special educational provision
  • Contact: Charity for families with disabled children
  • Special Needs Jungle: A parent-led organisation providing guidance, information, and advocacy resources for families
  • Learn and Thrive: UK charity supporting the education and development of children and young people with learning disabilities.
Jenny Bell headshot.

Jenny Bell

Jenny is a writer, editor, and mother of two. She holds an MA (Hons) in Social Anthropology with Development Studies from the University of Edinburgh and has worked with a variety of organisations dedicated to creating a positive social and/or environmental impact. As Content Writer and Editor at PMT Education, Jenny creates engaging and informative resources for students, parents, teachers, and tutors.

  • Copy URL Copy URL

Comments

Be the first to leave a comment