Government plans changes for children who need extra help in schools

The government has announced big changes that it says aim to make schools in England more inclusive for children.

It has announced a new system for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, often shortened to SEND.

Announcing the plan, and £4 billion of money to support it, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the current system "does not work" and promised major changes.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the plans as a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to improve support and said the changes would be brought in "carefully" over ten years.

Other groups including political parties, some charities and some unions, have said they have concerns about the changes, and how well they will work.

SEND stands for special educational needs and disabilities.

Just over 1.7 million pupils in schools in England receive support for special educational needs, or about one in five.

This could be because they have a physical disability, difficulties with speech and language, learning differences, or social, emotional or mental health needs.

Many children with SEND are taught in mainstream schools (state schools where most children go).

Children who need more help than a school would usually provide can apply for a Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) - a legal plan designed to guarantee extra support for those children who need it.

About 5% of all pupils (483,000), or just under a third of those with SEND, get the highest level of support through an EHCP.

The government has said that the current system of support isn't working for families, for schools, or for local authorities who run schools.

It says it wants to improve support in mainstream schools, and hire more specialist teachers, so that children can get help earlier, without families having to struggle to secure an EHCP, which can be a difficult process.

The Department for Education says £4 billion in funding will be spent in different areas.

These include giving money for schools to provide targeted support, such as small-group sessions, and training teachers to be able to adapt their lessons to suit different pupils' needs.

Under the plans, there will be changes to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

From 2029 children will be reassessed for EHCPs as they move up to their next stage of education - for example from primary to secondary school.

As part of the plans, new Individual Support Plans (ISPs) will be brought in for children who need them, which will set out a child's needs, what support they should receive and what it hopes to achieve.

By 2035 EHCPs will be reserved for children with the most severe or complex needs.

Some parents and campaigners have said they are worried that this could mean that it could become harder for a child to get or keep an EHCP they already have.

Since 2015 the proportion of pupils with EHCPs has nearly doubled and the government is worried that without changes, demand on the SEND system will keep growing and it won't be possible to meet it.

It argues that taking action earlier in schools, with ISPs, will do more to help children, and reduce delays in getting help for those who need it.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "For so many children, they are held back by a system that doesn't work for them."

He also said: "You can't have high standards if you don't have inclusion - they're two sides of the same coin, and therefore we have to reform special educational needs."

Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education, said the reforms would "deliver better life chances for children".

"That has been the driving principle behind all of this, how we make sure that every child in our country can achieve and thrive," she added.

The Conservative Party says there are still big questions about the plans.

"We know that there is an issue with special educational needs but right now I think many parents are worried about these changes," said Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch.

Shadow education secretary Laura Trott said families should be given "guarantees" that no child with an EHCP would lose support that has been fought for.

She also questioned the £4 billion of funding, and asked where it's coming from, saying: "This is not money you can find down the back of the sofa."

Munira Wilson, who is the Liberal Democrats education spokeswoman, said she recognised that the government is taking "solid steps" to address the system, but said "we also need to ensure we identify children who need help much sooner."

"Too many are falling through the cracks. The government needs to be more ambitious" she added.

Dame Rachel de Souza, Children's Commissioner for England, said that new plan would "try and make schools inclusive" but when it comes to assessments, she added: "I am going to be absolutely clear, no child should lose their plan".

Reactions to the plans have been mixed from teachers groups and charities.

The NASUWT - which represents teachers and school leaders - says that more money and resources will be needed to make sure the changes actually help both schools and children.

It said that the money announced so far isn't enough to fix the SEND system and making such important changes with "this low level of funding" was "ridiculous."

Amanda Allard, Director of the Council for Disabled Children, says the charity welcomes the scale of the plans and its "vision for an inclusive education system".

Learning disability charity Mencap said it welcomed plans to make mainstream schools more inclusive but stressed that support must be fully funded and backed by legal rights.

The National Autistic Society said that asking "overwhelmed and underfunded school staff" to be more flexible with lessons would not solve the problem.

"We're concerned the Government's reforms aren't anywhere near enough to fix the broken Send system that's been buckling under pressure for years," the charity said.

The Autism Service, a provider of ADHD and autism assessments, says providing earlier support in schools "may help some children access help more quickly".

Education is run separately in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the new SEND reforms apply only to England.

In Scotland, the term used is "additional support needs". Only children with the most complex needs receive plans that are backed by law.

Wales introduced reforms in 2021 for children with "additional learning needs". Most plans are managed by mainstream schools, while local authorities manage more complex cases.

Northern Ireland also uses the term SEND, but its legal plans are called "statements of special educational needs".