The government has today published its white paper announcing major changes to the SEND system. These changes will mean that:
- EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans) will now be reserved for children with the most complex needs.
- Many other children will receive new “individual support plans”, which do not carry the same legal protections as EHCPs.
- Councils will have greater responsibility for school placements, while mainstream schools will be expected to provide inclusive support.
- £4 billion of funding has been announced over three years to support these reforms.
These are fundamental changes to the SEND system, and I believe that families deserve certainty, clarity and stronger support. Parents must have cast-iron assurances that no child currently receiving support will lose it.
I will be pressing for clarity on funding, safeguards, and parental rights and I will continue to stand up for families who rely on enforceable support for their children.
However, in order to help shape my contributions in Parliament, I want to hear directly from you.
If you have a child with SEND or you’re a parent, carer, teacher, or family member supporting someone, please take a few minutes to complete my survey. Your experiences will be incredibly important as this paper is brought forward.
