Our vision for SEND reform

Real change needs wholesale investment and cultural shift

We welcome the Government’s commitment to fixing the SEND system but it cannot be successfully reformed unless backed by the right investment. This investment is needed across education, health, care, and community services to support children, young people and families earlier and stabilise existing services.

Reforms must reflect the real experiences of families and ensure every child with SEND has a legal right to support. Change does not just come from Government legislation or funding alone – a change in culture and attitude towards SEND is also essential.

Joint accountability and funding for SEND provision

Children and young people with SEND often need support from a number of different professionals. Right now, it is far too difficult to get the right support at the right time to aid their health, wellbeing, and learning. Children with SEND don’t only exist in education, at nursery, at school or at college – they may also have medical, health, or care-related needs that require the right support to be able to feel well, safe, able to learn and achieve.

Schools, local authorities, and health and care services must all take responsibility for their part in providing this support, with clear guidance and proper investment from the Government. Currently, only local authorities responsible for education are accountable in law for providing SEND provision. We are asking the Government to ensure that health and care systems are held equally accountable. Partnerships between professionals and community services must be strengthened so families can get help early – before needs escalate.

Agreed principles of inclusion

Every child should be able to participate fully in school without changing who they are or what they need to access the same education as their peers. Too many children and young people with SEND are expected to fit into education systems not designed for them.

The Government must set out clear principles of inclusion, developed with children and families, and schools must be held to account on how they uphold these. These principles should make clear to early years providers, schools, and post-16 institutions what they must do to ensure all children and young people are fully included and able to learn and achieve.

Behaviour and attendance policies must not discriminate against children and young people with SEND, and educators and schools must understand their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010. Educators need a better understanding of needs and disabilities and their potential impact on behaviour, so schools can truly support all children to thrive.

SEND training and workforce development

Education staff cannot support children and young people with SEND effectively without the right training and knowledge. This means quality, hands-on training on how to meet individual needs, and making sure teachers and support staff have the time and space to undertake the appropriate level of SEND training.

All educators – including early years and support staff – need comprehensive professional development on SEND throughout their careers, not just a one-off training course.

By equipping staff with the right knowledge and understanding, schools can reduce exclusions, respond to behaviour more effectively, and prevent needs from escalating.

We were pleased to see the Government commit to improving SEND training, with the announcement of a £200 million investment in teacher training. You can read our response to this announcement here.

Legal rights to early intervention

Every child and young person with SEND must have the right to early, effective support for their education, health and care needs – with or without a formal diagnosis.

We recommend that the current ‘SEN Support’ category in education should be made mandatory – this would give all children with SEND a legal entitlement to a plan that supports their needs. This needs to come with funding to ensure that schools and other educational settings can provide the support detailed in the plan, and education staff must have access to specialist help and guidance. Families must also have access to advocacy (like an Independent Supporter or Navigator), so needs are identified early, and families can get the right support before reaching crisis.

A chance to get it right

The Government’s upcoming SEND reforms hold the potential to change lives for children, young people and their families. They must ensure that lives are changed for the better.

Children and young people with SEND deserve the same opportunities as everyone else: to play, learn, grow, and thrive. Families are counting on the Government to make this happen.

You can read the full policy briefing on our SEND reform asks here.