The government has announced an ambitious plan to deliver the largest national conversation on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in a generation, ensuring parents play a central role in shaping a reformed system that works for every child.
Following years of challenges in a system described as “on its knees,” the Department for Education is launching a nationwide engagement campaign to gather views from families, educators, and experts. The goal is to create a SEND framework that delivers fairness, early intervention, and better outcomes for children.
Minister for School Standards, Georgia Gould, will host nine in-person events across England, alongside five online sessions, in partnership with the Council for Disabled Children. These events will provide tens of thousands of opportunities for parents and carers to share their experiences and influence policy.
The engagement will focus on five key principles of reform:
- Early intervention – providing support earlier in children’s lives for maximum impact.
- Local provision – enabling children to learn close to home, alongside peers, while ensuring specialist support for complex needs.
- Fairness – guaranteeing resources and legal safeguards so parents no longer have to fight for support.
- Effective practice – using evidence-based approaches for long-term success.
- Shared working – fostering collaboration between education, health, and care services.
Parents will also be invited to comment on proposals such as written records of support, independent advocacy for families, and a national framework for SEND provision.
Georgia Gould, Minister for School Standards, said:
“For too long families have felt unheard and left to battle a system that simply doesn’t deliver for their children.
“We’re committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity for children with SEND, which is why we’re putting lived experience at the heart of our reforms and creating a direct line to parents across the nation.
“We want this to be the biggest national conversation on SEND in a generation, and I urge parents, teachers and all those with views to participate and help us deliver lasting reform.”
This initiative builds on extensive engagement, including over 100 listening sessions with families, and will inform a formal consultation following the Schools White Paper early next year. Experts Tom Rees and Dame Christine Lenehan will support the process, bringing decades of experience in inclusive education.
Alongside engagement, urgent improvements to the current system continue. Data published today shows 71% of school leaders enrolled in the £22 million Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme feel better equipped to support children with autism, dyslexia, and ADHD. PINS is helping 2,850 mainstream primary schools deliver earlier support and create inclusive classrooms.
This work complements wider investment, including £740 million for 10,000 new SEND school places, early language support for 20,000 children, and Best Start Family Hubs rolling out nationwide from April.
The government’s commitment is clear: parents will be at the heart of SEND reform, ensuring every child gets the support they need to thrive.
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