In a bid to alleviate parental concerns, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has reassured families that the government will not withdraw effective support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as part of its upcoming educational reforms. The commitment to increase funding for SEND provisions comes as the government prepares to unveil a comprehensive White Paper on the matter.
Reassessing SEND Support
Phillipson addressed the issue during an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, stating that the government intends to enhance rather than diminish support for children with SEND. She emphasised that the proposed reforms will ensure a more responsive system, allowing children to receive necessary assistance more swiftly. “The assurance I can give to parents is that under the new system, more children will receive support,” she asserted.
The forthcoming White Paper, set for release on Monday, has generated considerable anticipation among parents anxious about potential changes that might limit the support their children currently receive. Leaked information suggests that children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs) will face reassessments as they transition from primary to secondary school starting in 2029. This move is coupled with a plan to introduce Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for all children with SEND, regardless of whether they have an EHCP.
The Role of Individual Support Plans
Phillipson clarified that while EHCPs will continue to play a significant role in the framework, ISPs will be introduced to provide a legal underpinning for support arrangements. “There are clear routes and clear principles set out in statute that will guide all of this,” she noted. This change aims to reduce the struggle parents often face in securing support through EHCPs, which have been described as complex and adversarial.
However, concerns persist among parents and opposition politicians. Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott expressed apprehension that the proposed reassessments could lead to alarming outcomes for families who have already faced significant challenges in obtaining necessary support. For instance, Hannah Luxford, whose son has anxiety, detailed her own struggles with the EHCP process, taking 18 months to secure the support her son needed. “It’s an unhelpful, adversarial, complex system that is designed to make you give up,” she lamented.
Financial Pressures and Educational Equity
The government is under mounting pressure to address the financial strain associated with the SEND system, which many argue is in crisis. As part of its reforms, the government plans to shift the financial responsibility for SEND costs from local councils to central government by 2028, a move projected to create an additional £6 billion burden.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has identified three potential strategies for managing these escalating costs: increasing education funding, reforming the system to slow spending growth, or implementing cuts. Luke Sibieta from the IFS has described the current situation as “the worst of all worlds,” marked by rising costs and EHCP numbers without corresponding improvements in quality for children.
In conjunction with SEND reforms, the government aims to halve the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers by the time those born during this Parliament complete secondary school. Recent data indicated that the disadvantage gap index for year 11 students reached 3.94 in the 2022/2023 academic year, a decade high, following a troubling trend of widening since the pandemic.
Why it Matters
The government’s proposed SEND reforms are of critical importance to countless families across the UK. While the promise of increased funding and streamlined support processes offers hope, the uncertainty surrounding reassessments and legal protections for existing support raises valid concerns. As these changes are set to unfold, the stakes are high for parents who have long fought for equitable access to education for their children. The outcome of these reforms will shape the educational landscape for years to come, underscoring the necessity for transparency and genuine engagement with affected families.
