In a bid to quell concerns surrounding impending reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in England, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has assured that no effective support will be withdrawn from children currently benefiting from it. As the government gears up to unveil a detailed White Paper on Monday, Phillipson emphasised that the focus will remain on enhancing, rather than diminishing, the financial backing for SEND provisions.
Reassessments on the Horizon
During an interview with the BBC, Phillipson acknowledged that children’s needs will undergo review as they transition into secondary education, a point that has sparked trepidation among parents and advocates. The forthcoming White Paper is expected to lay out a framework for reform aimed at addressing a SEND system widely regarded as being in crisis due to escalating costs and inefficiencies.
According to leaked details, children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)—legal documents that delineate their entitlement to support—will be reassessed after primary school, starting in 2029. This change is set to coincide with a new initiative that extends legal rights to all SEND students through Individual Support Plans (ISPs), which will be developed by schools and carry some form of legal recognition.
A Commitment to Faster Support
Phillipson reassured worried parents during her appearance on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, stating, “The assurance I can give to parents is that under the new system, more children will receive support. But they’ll receive it more quickly. Parents won’t have to fight so hard to get support through an EHCP.” She highlighted that the proposed ISPs would help clarify the support available, with clear legislative guidelines.
When pressed about the potential loss of support for current recipients, Phillipson firmly stated, “We are not going to be taking away effective support from children,” and noted that the transition to the new system would be gradual, spanning a decade. However, she did emphasise the necessity for regular assessments of children’s needs, which, she admitted, are not consistently conducted in the current system.
Concerns from Opposition
The proposed changes have raised alarm among opposition figures. Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott voiced significant concerns, asserting that many parents are already forced to advocate fiercely for their children’s support. “The idea that they’re going to be reassessed will be genuinely frightening,” she argued, highlighting the adversarial nature of the current system.
Parents like Hannah Luxford, whose son has experienced difficulties with anxiety, shared their frustrations about the lengthy process to secure an EHCP. Luxford’s son is now thriving in a funded virtual school, but she expressed worries about the legal protections that might be affected by the upcoming reforms. “If that’s taken away, it will take us back to where we were five years ago,” she cautioned.
Financial Pressures and Future Goals
Amidst these changes, the government is grappling with mounting financial pressures associated with SEND provisions. Starting in 2028, costs previously borne by local councils will now fall to the government, a shift anticipated to create a £6 billion shortfall. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has outlined three potential responses to this issue: increasing education funding, implementing reforms to contain SEND expenditure, or making cuts.
Luke Sibieta from the IFS remarked on the troubling state of the system, noting, “Unfortunately, we still have a system that is characterised by conflict, by fight, but also by really patchy levels of quality.”
In addition to SEND reforms, the government aims to halve the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers by the time children born during this Parliament complete secondary school. Recent data from the Department for Education indicates that the gap has widened to a decade-high of 3.94, underscoring the urgency of targeted interventions.
Why it Matters
The impending reforms to the SEND system represent a critical juncture for thousands of families across England. While the government insists on a commitment to maintaining effective support, the proposed changes, particularly the reassessment of current provisions, create uncertainty. Parents, advocates, and educators will be watching closely to ensure that the necessary resources and protections are in place, as any misstep could have profound implications for the educational journeys of children with special needs.
