Parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have given a mixed response to the government's long-awaited overhaul of the system in England. While many expressed relief that significant disruption for their families would be avoided, there are fears that some children will not benefit from the changes.
Becky, whose son Kyllian has cerebral palsy and is registered blind, said she was “cautiously optimistic” about the reforms announced by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. She welcomed the immediate relief that her son would not have to move from his special school. However, she noted that the emphasis appeared to be on children who could attend mainstream schools, with little said about those with more complex needs.
The plans include improving inclusion in mainstream schools and new restrictions on eligibility for education, health and care plans (EHCPs) from 2030. The government forecasts that about one in eight children with EHCPs will be moved to new individual support plans (ISPs) between 2030 and 2035, and those granted EHCPs after 2030 will have less say over school choices and fewer avenues for appeal.
Jolanta Lasota, chief executive of Ambitious about Autism, warned that limiting EHCPs to those with the most complex needs relies heavily on mainstream schools becoming genuinely inclusive, yet much of the detail remains undefined. May Race, whose son Joseph has autism, ADHD and dyslexia, said she did not believe that he or many other neurodivergent children would benefit from the changes, as he has struggled in mainstream education.
Jane Harris, chief executive of Speech and Language UK, described the overhaul as “a bold vision” but urged clarity on who will qualify for an EHCP and how access to specialist places will be guaranteed. Cheryl Garner, whose non-verbal autistic daughter requires one-to-one support and a highly tailored curriculum, welcomed the proposal that EHCPs be retained for children with the most complex needs, but feared the criteria could shift during implementation.
