SEND White Paper: Big Changes, Big Questions

We welcome the continued focus from the Department for Education (DfE) on improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Reform is long overdue as the challenges facing families, schools and local authorities are well documented including long waits for assessment, stretched specialist provision, and increasing complexity of need.

We are particularly encouraged by the emphasis on earlier intervention and clearer accountability. Getting support in place before needs escalate is both more effective for young people and more sustainable for the system.

While we welcome the government’s commitment of an additional £4bn to the new system, it is crucial to understand the impact of far fewer students with SEND receiving EHCP. Under the proposed changes, children in Year 2 and below who currently have EHCPs will be reassessed under the new system when they move from primary to secondary school. The government has stated that there will be no changes to EHCPs before at least September 2030, no pupils will be asked to leave special schools, and that the Children’s Commissioner will oversee the transition and implementation. However, these reassessments could still result in EHCPs being removed from thousands of children if they are not deemed to meet the new criteria.

Here's what Emma Arnesson, Partnerships Director at Equal Education, said on the announcement:

“Children with special educational needs are not  given the support that they need - we see the impact of this every day on children, their families and schools. Ultimately, success will be measured not by policy announcements, but by whether families experience shorter waits, clearer pathways, and more consistent provision and whether young people with SEND feel understood, included, and able to thrive.”

We remain committed to working alongside schools and partners to ensure that reform translates into real, equitable outcomes for learners.