SEND Reform: What We Want to See in the Schools White Paper

How the White Paper works

The Schools White Paper won’t create immediate changes. Usually, a White Paper is used by Government to outline policy proposals and potential future changes to systems such as the education system. After publication, there will be a consultation period (of around 12 weeks), during which time anyone can respond, including parent carers, young people, schools, local authorities, and charities.

The Government then reviews the feedback, and proposals may be changed, delayed, or taken forward. Any measures that become law will need to go through further steps, like drafting legislation, Parliamentary debate, and votes, and there will still be opportunities at these stages for changes to be made.

Real change needs investment and cultural shift

We welcome the Government’s commitment to improving the SEND system, but reform cannot succeed without the right investment across education, health, care, and community services. Families need support earlier, and existing services need stabilising.

Change also requires a cultural shift: SEND must be understood and valued across schools, communities, and services, so every child with SEND is able to play, learn, grow, and thrive.

Our four tests for SEND reform

To fix the SEND system, we believe the reforms must meet four key tests. This is what we will be looking out for when the White Paper is released:

Joint accountability and funding for SEND provision

Children with SEND often need support from multiple professionals. It must be clearly set out that schools, local authorities, and health and care services must all take joint responsibility for providing support, with proper guidance and investment.

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. 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.

SEND training and workforce development

Education staff must receive quality, ongoing training on SEND to reduce exclusions, support behaviour effectively, and prevent needs from escalating.

Legal right to early intervention

Every child and young person with SEND must be legally entitled to early and effective support to meet their education, health and care needs, regardless of whether they have a formal diagnosis.

This is a critical chance to shape a SEND system that truly works for all children and young people with SEND, and ensure every child has the support and opportunities they need to play, learn, grow, and thrive.

Read the full version of our vision for SEND reform by clicking the button below.