UK Mandates Specialist SEND Support in Schools
The UK government announced a "radical expansion" in rights for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), mandating specialist support in every school. The reforms include new funding and a tiered system to provide targeted support. The policy also focuses on tailored support for twice-exceptional (2e) students, even for those without formal plans.
- The reforms are a response to a review that began in 2019, which identified inconsistent support and poor outcomes for children with SEND. The government then held a public consultation on its "SEND and Alternative Provision Green Paper" in 2022. - A key component of the new policy is the introduction of national standards to ensure consistency in identifying and supporting needs across the country. These standards will clarify the types of support that should be available and which bodies are responsible for providing and funding them. - The plan includes a significant investment of £2.6 billion between 2022 and 2025 to create new places and improve existing provisions for students with SEND. Additionally, £200 million will be invested over three years in a national SEND training program for staff in schools, colleges, and early years settings. - Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) will be reserved for students with the most complex needs, with a new system of "Individual Support Plans" (ISPs) for those with less severe needs. The government projects this will reduce the percentage of students with EHCPs from a forecasted 7.7% in 2029-30 to 4.7% by 2034-35. - The reforms will be overseen by a new National SEND and Alternative Provision Implementation Board, which will include parents and leaders from the education, health, and care sectors. The Children's Commissioner for England will also have a new remit to provide oversight and scrutiny of the implementation. - A three-tier alternative provision system will be established, focusing on early intervention within mainstream schools, short-term intensive support, and longer-term placements to facilitate a return to mainstream education or prepare for post-16 destinations. - To improve accountability, the government will introduce a new national and local inclusion dashboard and update performance measures for schools. Additionally, mediation between parents and local authorities may become mandatory before an appeal can be made to the SEND tribunal. - The changes will be rolled out gradually, with a significant proportion of the new National Standards expected to be published by the end of 2025. The new system for assessing students for EHCPs will be introduced from September 2029, starting with children transitioning from primary to secondary school.
