Responding to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) consultation

Replying to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) consultation is crucial for shaping support systems. You can submit your views online, focusing on specific proposals that impact you, rather than answering all questions. Use personal examples of your experiences, keep answers clear, and highlight key concerns within the 1500-character limit per question.
Key Tips for Responding:
Focus on Impact: Focus on the questions that matter most to you, such as the new Individual Support Plans, National Standards, or transition points.
Personalise Experiences: Share your personal story about what works and what doesn't in your local area to make your response impactful.
Use Tools and Guides: Organizations like IPSEA, Allfie, and Speech & Language UK offer guides to help you navigate the questions.
Deadline Awareness: The consultation is open until 18 May 2026.
Be Honest and Direct: Clearly state if you agree or disagree with proposals and explain why.
What to Include in Your Response:
Evidence-Based Points: When discussing proposals like national standards, share how they might affect individualised support, as recommended by IPSEA.
Highlight Specific Concerns: If you believe proposed changes might remove support or affect legal rights, like Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) at key transitions, express your views.
Focus on Inclusion: As per Allfie, it is important to include points about strengthening inclusive education.
Utilise Final Question: Use the final, open question to raise any points not covered elsewhere.


Link to Consultation Documents:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first

Links to submit consultation response online / via email or post:
https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/

Additional Guidance Documents about the proposed reforms:
(shorter, simpler documents that summarise the schools white paper and SEND consultation for parents & those working in the sector)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-send-reforms-sheets

The Council for Disabled Children has shared a 30 minute session designed to help parent carers understand the content of the SEND consultation paper:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee8p83R5F-Q

Additional Resources - Tools and Guides:
https://contact.org.uk/about-contact/news-and-views/how-to-share-your-views-on-schools-white-paper/
https://www.ipsea.org.uk/news/how-you-can-respond-to-the-governments-proposals-for-reforming-the-send-system
https://www.allfie.org.uk/latest-news/send-review-consultation-guide-what-to-include-in-your-response/
https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/help-for-families/how-to-complete-the-send-consultation/


Timeline of reforms
What will the government be doing?
Building inclusion 2026/27 and 2027/28
Workforce training programmes open for all staff.
Local authorities (LAs) and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) begin to establish a multi-agency support offer for children, parents, and settings.
Introducing local area plans (LA and ICB) to prepare for implementation.
Phased changes
New funding and accountability system established in law.
Multi-agency support offer fully established using groups of schools.
Specialist Provision Packages introduced and used for new Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs); redress changes introduced.
No changes to support received through Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) before at least September 2030.
Future system by 2035
Schools trusted and held to account to meet the need of their cohorts through core funding.
Funding shifted to early intervention and specialist teachers and support staff.
Specialist settings and EHCPs in mainstream meet most complex needs. LAs and ICBs better able to plan specialist provision/cohort commission. System trends are closely monitored.
When will I see results?
Building inclusion 2026/27 and 2027/28
Children and young people both with and without EHCPs receive support from local inclusion services.
Schools are given additional funding to prepare for reform.
Increased use of Inclusion Bases will allow for more children to receive specialist support closer to home.
Phased changes
Children and young people in mainstream with EHCPs will feel no immediate disruption.
Children and young people in specialist placements have their placement protected until the end of their education.
Parents and children and young people engage with the new Specialist Provision Packages and EHCP process and redress.
Rebalanced funding will support earlier intervention, and investment in acute crisis support will enable more children to remain in mainstream via the Experts at Hand offer.
Future system by 2035
Inclusive practice embedded within mainstream schools, with specialist provision/ EHCPs for children with the most complex needs.
Early intervention and family support helps parents and children before more needs escalate.
Crisis support remains available for those who need it.