Consultation: SEND reform: putting children and young people first
The schools white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, was published on 23 February 2026. The white paper included major reforms to the system of support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England.
Alongside the white paper, a consultation on the SEND proposals, SEND reform: putting children and young people first, was also published. The consultation is open until 18 May 2026.
White paper proposals
The white paper makes a series of proposals to reform the SEND system, including:
- shifting the emphasis of SEND support towards greater inclusion in mainstream settings
- introducing a new tiered approach to support: universal, targeted, targeted plus, and specialist
- ensuring all schools and other educational settings create digital Individual Support Plans for any child or young person with identified SEND
- increasing specialist support for schools changing the law on independent special schools to ensure that local authorities pay a reasonable price for placements
The government has produced different versions of the white paper to try an ensure as many people as possible can understand the proposals and send their thoughts as part of the consultation.
