Prime Highlights:
- Children with SEND will now get support and therapy directly from their schools, giving faster and more personalized care.
- Schools will receive dedicated budgets to hire therapists and provide extra help, making it easier for children to access the support they need.
Key Facts:
- The reforms will allow children to have Individual Support Plans (ISPs) even without a full EHCP, ensuring legal protections and extra help.
- Independent special schools will follow set price limits and minimum service standards, reducing costs for families and local authorities.
Background:
Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England will now get support and therapy directly from their schools, the government announced. The change is meant to improve care and reduce costs.
Under the new plans, mainstream schools will receive their own commissioning budgets to hire therapists or provide additional support, rather than relying on local authorities, many of which are struggling with large debts. The changes form part of a major overhaul of SEND provision, set to be introduced by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
The reforms are meant to fix problems in the SEND system, where many children in regular schools have not had enough support. Families often had to fight with local authorities to get help, which caused stress and delays. The government says the new system will make it easier for children to get the support they need.
As part of the overhaul, children will also be able to access Individual Support Plans (ISPs). These plans give children extra legal protection and support even if they don’t have a full Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The EHCP system will continue, but will be updated from 2030 to include the extra help schools provide.
Schools must also make changes to help children with autism, ADHD, or mental health problems. If they don’t, parents can challenge the school to make sure their child’s rights are protected.
The government will also introduce price bands for independent special schools. These schools, which often charge more than twice the cost of state schools, will now have to comply with set price ranges and minimum service standards. “We’re cracking down on providers who put profit before children,” Phillipson said.
Officials hope the changes will gain broad support from MPs and parents, noting that the Treasury has allocated more funding than expected. The full package of reforms will be phased in over a decade, giving schools time to adjust while maintaining protections for children’s education and well-being.
More than 480,000 children in England currently hold EHCPs, and the government says the reforms aim to improve outcomes without removing existing rights, while ensuring funding is used efficiently and effectively.
