The UK government has unveiled £4 billion SEND reforms designed to strengthen support in mainstream schools through new funding, specialist outreach teams and closer EHCP reviews at key transition points. While the plans promise earlier intervention and greater inclusion, concerns remain about how they will work in practice. A public consultation runs until 18 May 2026, which allows families, professionals and organisations to share their views on the proposed changes and help shape the future of the SEND system.
What the SEND reforms mean for families and schools
The government has announced a £4 billion plan to improve support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across England. The changes will begin rolling out from 2026 and over the next three years, to make help easier to access in local schools and communities.
A big focus of the plan is helping more children with SEND stay and succeed in mainstream schools, instead of families feeling they have no option but to seek places in specialist settings. Ministers say too many parents currently face long waits, battles for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and a postcode lottery in support.
To tackle this, £1.6 billion will go directly to nurseries, schools and colleges through a new Inclusive Mainstream Fund. This money will support earlier identification of needs, small-group interventions, and practical classroom support.
Another £1.8 billion will fund an “Experts at Hand” service, giving schools easier access to specialists such as SEND teachers, speech and language therapists, and educational psychologists. Importantly, this support won’t be limited to children with formal EHCPs, meaning help should be available sooner and to more families.
The government has also said EHCPs will be reviewed more closely at key transition points, including when pupils move to secondary school, to ensure support remains appropriate and encourages greater inclusion in mainstream settings where possible. Also, new applicants for EHCPs will only be prioritised for those with the most complex needs by 2035.
For children already attending a specialist school, they will continue to receive their education there and will not be expected to move into a mainstream setting.
Overall, the aim is to strengthen mainstream education, so more children with SEND can attend their local school with the right support in place, easing pressure on specialist schools and making the system fairer and more consistent for families.
Reacting to the SEND reforms, Jon Sparkes OBE, chief executive of learning disability charity Mencap, said:
“We’re pleased the Government is committed to reforming the SEND system, which is currently failing children with a learning disability.
“Right now, too many families are left waiting, fighting and worn down. No child’s future should depend on parents battling for support. That isn’t fair, and it isn’t sustainable.
“The move to make mainstream schools more inclusive is welcome news. Families must have their children’s needs identified early and for them to be given the right help straight away, backed by services fully funded to do the job, and rights underpinned by law.”
Concerns over funding, confidence and the reality of SEND reforms
Despite the government’s attempt to integrate SEND children in mainstream environments, many educators, families and disability organisations are concerned about how this will all work practically.
Many SEND children work at different speeds, require one-to-one support and other reasonable adjustments such as alternative reading formats, smaller class sizes and quieter rooms.
Regardless of the additional funding, there is no guarantee the money will go to the right places and provide enough support to meet the demand for children with additional needs. Also, schools and colleges still need to find the time to be trained in supporting disabled children, in addition to the workload of teaching non-disabled students.
Research conducted by the disability charity Sense has found parents are worried about the SEND reforms, showing 27% of parents of children with complex needs simply don’t have confidence that the reforms will improve the system.
The research also reveals parents of disabled children with complex needs spent an average of £4,270 in just six months on support that should have been funded by their local authority – or would not have been needed if the system was working properly. This included:
- 42% of parents had paid for private assessments to secure SEND support for their child, spending an average of £1,791 in the past six months.
- 44% had paid privately for therapies – such as speech and language therapy, physiotherapy or occupational therapy – that should have been funded by their local authority, spending an average of £1,680 in six months.
- 39% had made their own transport arrangements because their local authority would not fund home-to-school travel, spending an average of £1,567 over six months.
Beyond these direct costs, many families are also losing income. Two in five parents (40%) have had to reduce their working hours because appropriate support is not in place, while more than a third (35%) have left their job altogether.
Sense, a member of the Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP), is now calling on government decision-makers to ensure the needs of disabled children with complex needs are fully addressed in any SEND system reforms.
The charity warns there must be adequate funding for the SEND system, robust legal rights for disabled children, and properly joined-up support between education, health and social care professionals supporting disabled children so EHCPs work properly, or disabled children’s development and emotional wellbeing, and their families’ financial security will all be at risk.
James Watson-O’Neill, Chief Executive of the national disability charity Sense, said:
“It is unacceptable that so many families are being forced to shoulder such a huge financial burden because an underfunded SEND system is failing their children.
“Parents are doing everything they can to stop their children from falling through the cracks or waiting years for vital assessments and essential therapies. They know that their child’s wellbeing, happiness and future life chances hang in the balance.
“Too often, families are left with an impossible choice: pay out of pocket for support that should be guaranteed by law, or watch their child go without. For those who simply cannot afford it, it is their children who bear the greatest cost.
“The government must act urgently to build a properly funded SEND system that upholds children’s legal rights to education. That means genuinely joined-up support across education, health and social care, so every child has the opportunity to learn, thrive and fulfil their potential.”
Have your say: SEND reforms public consultation
A public consultation has been launched for children, young people, parents, teachers, schools, colleges, nurseries, local authorities, healthcare experts, and charities to share their views on the proposed SEND reforms.
The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 18th May 2026. Alternative formats of the consultation, including easy read, BSL, large print and braille, are available.
As these SEND reforms move forward, we want to hear from you. Are you a parent, carer, teacher or young person affected by the system? Have you struggled to access school support, or are you currently fighting for the right help? Share your experiences in the comments box, on social media or contact us to share your personal story.