Minister Defends SEND Overhaul to Accelerate Support for Children
Bridget Phillipson has assured that the government’s planned overhaul of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support in England will enable children to receive assistance within weeks rather than months. This statement comes as she prepares to announce the controversial reforms outlined in an upcoming white paper.
Prior to the publication of the white paper, Phillipson emphasized that children with special needs will be regarded as "integral to the school system" instead of being treated as a separate issue. She described the changes as part of a "decade-long shift" designed to allow schools and families sufficient time to adapt.
Concerns have been raised by campaigners regarding the prospect that children with a legal entitlement to SEND support might undergo a review when transitioning to secondary school. The reforms will raise the threshold for children in England to qualify for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which legally guarantees SEND support.
Government’s Position on Support and Transition
Speaking on the BBC, Phillipson stated:
"We are not going to be taking away effective support from children, and what I’ll be setting out tomorrow is a decade-long, very careful transition from the system that we have, which everyone recognises isn’t working."
When asked whether this meant no child would lose support, she responded:
"Children will be reviewed in terms of their needs assessed. That should be happening at the moment. We’re meant to have a system where every year an EHCP [Education, Health and Care Plan] is reviewed. That doesn’t always happen, and where it does, it doesn’t always work well.
But what parents will see when we set out our vision tomorrow is a system where if, for example, your child needs speech and language support, the school will be better able to provide that than is the case right now."
Phillipson further explained that the overhaul would enable children to receive support "much, much more quickly than is the case right now." She assured parents:
"When they see all of the documents published tomorrow what they will see is a government that is focused on delivering better outcomes for their children. I am fiercely ambitious for every child in our country."
She added that the timeline for support delivery would be "a question of weeks, not a question of months and years," contrasting with the current system where many EHCPs are issued by local authorities beyond the statutory 20-week deadline.
Integration of SEND Support Within Schools
Phillipson highlighted that SEND support has often been treated as a separate issue rather than being embedded within the school system. She noted:
"Lots of children at some point during their school lives will experience some form of challenge, will need extra support.
In order to get the support that children need, parents have to fight really hard to get that education, health and care plan. I’ve heard from so many parents just how difficult, how devastating that has been. It can take years. It’s really adversarial."
Details of the SEND System Overhaul
The planned radical overhaul will provide every child with SEND an individual support plan, according to government sources. However, the criteria for qualifying for an EHCP will be raised, reserving EHCPs for children with the most severe and complex needs. New provisions will still offer additional support and legal rights for children on lower tiers of need.
Government sources have indicated that children currently holding an EHCP will retain their plans. Nonetheless, there is concern that children reaching the age of 11 who have educational support plans may be reassessed under stricter criteria.
Parents will continue to have legal avenues for appeals under existing equalities legislation and through tribunals, as confirmed by government sources.
The white paper was initially scheduled for publication last autumn but was delayed to allow further consideration of the SEND proposals.
Financial Commitment and System Efficiency
Phillipson clarified that the reforms are not motivated by cost-cutting. She stated:
"We’re spending more money and we’ll continue to spend more money both around schools and SEND, both together. We are going to spend more money delivering better outcomes for children. What we will be doing however is taking action where that money is not being well spent."
