The Government has published its White Paper which outlines a series of wide-ranging proposals to transform outcomes for children with SEND. Hampshire County Council, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and the Hampshire Parent and Carer Network – which represents parents and carers of children with special needs – form part of a Local Area Partnership which works together to improve the SEND support available locally. This includes enhancing and expanding specialist provision across Hampshire schools, and the quality of health services available to children and young people with additional needs.
As a partnership, they have welcomed the Government’s emphasis on local and early support, greater inclusion in mainstream education, and the importance of collaborative working across all parts of the SEND system.
They said: “It is reassuring to see that the Government’s announcements align with the direction of travel that we have already been taking for some time in Hampshire. Our long-held belief is that meeting children’s needs earlier and enabling them to access the right support close to home – in the communities they know and alongside the children they grew up with – is best for children and best for their families. That’s why we’ve been working hard to focus on earlier intervention and create more SEND provision in Hampshire, both in dedicated special schools and within mainstream schools.
“We have been working to train and upskill school staff, build expertise, and make sure that schools always start from a place of inclusion. This is because we believe that what works for children with special needs, works for all children. We therefore welcome the Government’s commitment to roll out a landmark training programme for teaching staff, so that every teacher is ready to meet the needs of children with SEND.
“We are pleased to see that the proposals have been well informed by conversations with teachers and parents on the front line of this crisis, who know first-hand how greatly needed these changes are. We are also reassured to see that the Government’s announcements come with clear financial backing, allowing local authorities and health services to deliver the transformation effectively, sustainably and collaboratively.
“We understand that many parents and carers will now be wondering what these proposals might mean for their own children and families. While we are continuing to work through the full detail of the White Paper, we remain committed to working closely together as a partnership and with parents and carers to bring clarity and reassurance and ensure that any changes are delivered successfully and with children’s very best interests in mind.”
Key proposals from the Government’s White Paper include:
- A tiered approach which categorises support as Targeted or Specialist – Specialist support will form the basis of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) which by 2035, will be reserved for children with the most complex special educational needs
- The introduction of new Individual Support Plans designed to extend the legal rights of all children with SEND
- From 2029, the reassessment of EHCPs when children move to the next stage of their education
- An Inclusive Mainstream Fund of £1.6 billion over three years, to put inclusion at the heart of every educational setting from early years through to college
- An ‘Experts at Hand’ service investing £1.8 billion to help local authorities and health services establish a local bank of SEND specialists, readily available to support children where needed
- A £200 million investment to create a dedicated SEND outreach and support offer in every community’s Best Start Family Hub
- An investment of £200 million to ensure local authorities can deliver the reforms effectively
The Government is now consulting on the proposed reforms and welcomes input from children and families, schools and other representative groups. Details of the consultation and how to respond by the deadline of 18 May 2026 are available on the Government’s website.
Visit Gov.uk to view the White Paper which includes full details of the proposed reforms.