Send Reforms in England Receive Cautious Welcome Amid Workload and Funding Concerns
Education leaders and Members of Parliament have extended a cautious welcome to the government's newly unveiled special educational needs and disabilities (Send) proposals for England. However, they have raised significant concerns about the potential workload burden on teachers and school leaders, as well as questions over adequate funding and accountability mechanisms.
Plans to Extend Support to 1.3 Million Children
Under the reforms announced by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, mainstream schools across England will be tasked with assessing pupils with special needs and developing individual support plans (ISPs). This initiative aims to extend tailored assistance to approximately 1.3 million children in state schools who are identified as having special needs but currently lack the formal education, health and care plans (EHCPs) required for individualised support. The changes are scheduled to take full effect by the 2029-30 academic year, with legislation not expected until 2028.
Workload and Mental Health Impact on Education Staff
Pepe Di'Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, acknowledged the necessity and sensibility of the Send reforms but emphasised the substantial demands they place on mainstream schools. He stated, "The planned Send reforms are certainly necessary and seem sensible but they constitute a huge ask on mainstream schools to expand existing provision and implement training on a massive scale." Di'Iasio warned that the government must be vigilant about the workload and mental health impact on leaders and teachers, noting an existing wellbeing crisis characterised by high levels of stress and anxiety within the education workforce.
Daniel Kebede, leader of the National Education Union, welcomed the announcement of an inclusion grant but criticised its scale. He remarked, "The NEU has been calling for funding for more resources for inclusion in mainstream schools, so we welcome the announcement of the inclusion grant. However, it is too small. It only equates to a part-time teaching assistant for the average primary school and two teaching assistants for average secondary schools."
Funding and Accountability Challenges
The Department for Education has committed £1.6 billion over three years to fund extra support in schools and colleges, alongside £1.8 billion for local authorities to hire specialists and £200 million for additional teacher training. Despite this investment, MPs have expressed concerns about resource shortages. Labour backbencher Ian Lavery stressed, "There has got to be enough finance in the system so that everybody has the support they need. The schools themselves need to be able to support the kids in their care."
Accountability remains a critical issue, as highlighted by Labour MP Jen Craft, who has a child with special educational needs. While welcoming the overall direction of the white paper, Craft pointed out potential pitfalls. "The big pitfall I see here is accountability," she said, noting that parents will be able to complain to schools and the government if ISPs are not met, but not to the existing Send tribunal. The white paper also mentions greater accountability for NHS bodies in providing Send care but lacks clarity on enforcement mechanisms.
Transitional Concerns and Long-Term Implementation
MPs are particularly worried about transitions between educational stages, especially for children currently holding EHCPs who risk losing them in future reviews. Daniel Francis, another MP with a child on an EHCP, emphasised, "The transitions are going to be very important, not just from primary to secondary, but also at 16 and 18. Hopefully this can be worked on through the consultation process." A former minister added that gaining public trust in the reforms, without fear of losing existing support, will be a significant challenge.
Luke Sibieta, a research fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, noted that the government is not planning to save money in the short term, with an extra £3.5 billion in funding allocated for 2028-29. He explained, "If they do save money, it will be because they have increased mainstream provision and reduced the need for more costly, later interventions. They clearly want a system that delivers better value for money after 2029-30, and there is a long lead time to get the details right here."
Labour MP Jon Trickett acknowledged the noble objective of ensuring every child receives the best possible future but cautioned about the complexities of implementation. "It is a noble objective to try and make sure that every child gets the best possible future. But rolling this out is going to be quite problematic as you take each individual circumstance into account," he said.
Despite these concerns, Craft reassured that the reforms are not a repeat of past policy failures, stating, "But one thing is sure – this is not welfare reform all over again." The government aims to use the extended timeline to address intractable issues before facing a parliamentary vote, with hopes of building a more inclusive and effective Send system for England's children.
