Last week, I was pleased to be invited back to the Department for Education to discuss the proposed SEND reforms with Georgia Gould MP, Minister of State for School Standards and the Minister leading on SEND reform within the Department for Education.
With many parents, carers, teachers and SENDCos currently trying to navigate what the proposed SEND reforms could mean in practice, I welcomed the opportunity to ask some of the questions I know are being asked across the SEND community and hear directly from the Minister about the vision behind the proposals.
During our conversation, we discussed key areas including Individual Support Plans (ISPs), EHCPs, SEND tribunals, the proposed Experts at Hand service, National Inclusion Standards, SEND workforce development and the future role of SENCOs.
You can watch the full discussion here:
The SEND reform proposals aim to create earlier support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), strengthen inclusion within mainstream schools, increase specialist provision, improve workforce development and introduce new systems such as digitised Individual Support Plans and the Experts at Hand service. While the proposals are still being developed, they could represent some of the most significant changes to SEND provision in England in recent years.
What Are the SEND Reform Proposals?
I began by asking what success would look like if we were having the same conversation five years from now.
Georgia described her ambition for a system where families no longer feel they have to fight for support and where children and young people receive help as early as possible. She spoke about creating a system that works in partnership with families, schools and professionals, ensuring children are in the right setting and receiving the right support at the right time.
She also hopes the reforms will lead to fewer children being out of education, more young people with SEND progressing into employment and improved wellbeing and belonging for children and young people.
For many families, the central message was that the reforms are intended to move support earlier, reduce conflict and improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
What Do the SEND Reforms Mean for Families?
Many families have expressed concerns about what SEND reform could mean in practice, particularly when the current system is already so challenging to navigate.
Georgia acknowledged that many parents are understandably worried about change, especially after spending years fighting for support. However, she stressed that the aim of the reforms is to improve outcomes for children and young people by increasing early intervention, strengthening relationships around families and ensuring that children, young people and parents remain central to decision-making.
She also highlighted that investment is already being made ahead of legislative changes, including funding for specialist places, workforce development and the Experts at Hand service.
One message she returned to throughout our discussion was that the reforms are intended to be developed alongside families and young people rather than being imposed upon them.
Will EHCPs and SEND Tribunals Change?
One area generating significant discussion is the future of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), legal protections and SEND tribunals.
I raised concerns that some families have about whether aspects of the proposals could dilute legal rights. While consultation responses are still being considered, Georgia explained that tribunals would remain an important safeguard within the system.
She also outlined a number of new protections proposed within the reforms, including legal duties relating to Individual Support Plans, inclusion strategies and National Inclusion Standards.
A key message from our discussion was that if large numbers of families still need tribunals to secure appropriate support in the future, then the reforms will not have achieved their intended purpose. The ambition is to resolve concerns earlier and create a system based more on partnership than conflict.
Given the level of concern many families understandably have expressed around EHCPs and legal protections, this is likely to remain one of the most closely watched aspects of SEND reform.
What Are Individual Support Plans (ISPs)?
Individual Support Plans, often shortened to ISPs, are one of the most talked-about elements of the SEND reform proposals.
The proposed plans would create a legal entitlement for children and young people with SEND to have support identified and recorded, even where they do not have an EHCP.
I asked Georgia about the practicalities of introducing ISPs, particularly given that around one in five children has SEND. Managing and reviewing plans at that scale could create a significant additional responsibility for schools if not implemented carefully.
Georgia emphasised that successful implementation would require a whole-school approach. Rather than placing responsibility solely on the SENCO, she described a model where teachers, school leaders and families all play a role, while SENDCos provide strategic oversight.
As a former SENCO, this is an area I know many professionals will be watching closely. The success of Individual Support Plans will depend not only on the plans themselves but on the systems, training, resources and support available to implement them effectively.
What Are the National Inclusion Standards?
Another key proposal is the introduction of National Inclusion Standards.
These standards are intended to set out a clearer national expectation for what good inclusion should look like across schools. They would establish greater consistency, helping schools understand what is expected and helping families understand the support that should be available.
Georgia explained that the standards would underpin training, professional development and wider improvements to inclusive practice.
For many schools, this could provide greater clarity around expectations and more consistency across different local areas.
What Is the Experts at Hand Service?
A significant part of our discussion focused on the proposed Experts at Hand service, one of the flagship SEND reform proposals.
The proposal would bring specialist expertise directly into mainstream schools through access to professionals such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and specialist outreach staff.
Rather than schools struggling to access fragmented support, the idea is to wrap specialist expertise around schools and classrooms. This could include helping teachers adapt learning, supporting families, modelling interventions and promoting more inclusive practice.
Naturally, I raised a question that many professionals and families are asking: where will these specialists come from when workforce capacity is already a challenge?
Georgia explained that investment is being made into workforce development, including training routes and apprenticeships, with the aim of strengthening the pipeline of professionals entering these roles.
If implemented successfully, Experts at Hand has the potential to be one of the most transformative elements of the proposed reforms.
Will There Be More Specialist School Places?
A concern often raised by families is whether a stronger focus on mainstream inclusion could make specialist provision harder to access.
Georgia was clear that specialist provision remains an essential part of the system. She highlighted the Government’s investment in creating additional specialist places and explained that the goal is to improve access to specialist support closer to home.
She also spoke about the important role special schools will continue to play, not only in educating children and young people who need specialist placements but in sharing expertise and supporting inclusive practice across the wider education system.
The overall vision is not an either-or approach between mainstream and specialist provision, but a more connected continuum of support.
What Do the SEND Reforms Mean for SENDCos?
No discussion about SEND reform would be complete without talking about SENDCos.
I asked how the Government sees the role of SENDCos within the reforms and how that role can remain sustainable given the significant pressures many SENDCos already face.
Georgia described SENDCos as the “critical glue” within the system and highlighted the importance of recognising SEND leadership as a strategic role across the whole school rather than expecting SENDCos to carry sole responsibility for implementation.
We also discussed plans to reduce bureaucracy through more consistent processes, digital systems and increased support around schools.
For SEND reforms to succeed, SENDCos will need the capacity, training and strategic influence to lead inclusion effectively without unsustainable workloads.
SEND Workforce Development and Training
Another key aspect of the reforms is professional development.
Georgia outlined plans for investment in SEND training, including resources for school INSET days and training opportunities for teachers, teaching assistants, support staff and school leaders.
Importantly, the focus is not simply on delivering one-off training sessions. The ambition is for professional development to become ongoing and embedded within school practice, supported by National Inclusion Standards and the expertise available through the Experts at Hand model.
This is an area I am particularly interested in (as you’ll probably have guessed from my books and speaking!). SEND training can only improve outcomes if it is practical, evidence-informed and embedded into everyday teaching and learning. Schools need support that changes practice.
My Reflections on the Proposed SEND Reforms
The conversation ended with a discussion about children and young people whose needs have not always been understood or supported by the education system.
Georgia spoke about the importance of recognising children’s strengths, listening to their voices and creating a system that supports them to thrive both now and in the future.
While there is still much detail to be worked through and many questions that remain unanswered, and still concerns around legal rights, the discussion provided valuable insight into the thinking behind the proposed SEND reforms. Topics such as Individual Support Plans, SEND tribunals, National Inclusion Standards, workforce development and the Experts at Hand service will undoubtedly continue to generate discussion as further information emerges.
