SEND Review delayed

The government has announced that the schools white paper will be delayed until early in the new year as more time is required to draw up SEND reforms.

The Education Secretary confirmed that she had taken the decision
to have a further period of co-creation, testing SEND proposals with the people who matter most, the families along with teachers and experts.

New schools minister Georgia Gould is leading the latest period of engagement with parents and experts. Bridget Phillipson added the extra time will allow government to “test policy options being considered and seek views through listening sessions in every region of the country and fortnightly ministerial meetings with key parent and expert groups.” Details of these will be publicised.

SEND reforms will be underpinned by five principles:

• Early: Children should receive the support they need as soon as possible. This will start to break the cycle of needs going unmet and getting worse, instead intervening upstream, earlier in children’s lives when this can have most impact.
• Local: Children and young people with SEND should be able to learn at a school close to their home, alongside their peers, rather than travelling long distances from their family and community. Special schools should continue to play a vital role supporting those with the most complex needs.
• Fair: Every school should be resourced and able to meet common and predictable needs, including as they change over time, without parents having to fight to get support for their children. Where specialist provision is needed for children in mainstream, special or Alternative Provision, it will be provided, with clear legal requirements and safeguards for children and parents.
• Effective: Reforms should be grounded in evidence, ensuring all education settings know where to go to find effective practice that has excellent long-term outcomes for children.
• Shared: Education, health and care services should work in partnership with one another, local government, families, teachers, experts and representative bodies to deliver better experiences and outcomes for all children.