The government has delayed SEND reforms until 2027 but has reiterated its commitment to improving the “broken system” and getting reforms right for children and families.
Earlier this month, the Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, confirmed that legislation on changes to the SEND system would not be published until early next year.
Her response to the Education Committee followed ongoing speculation that the timetable for the SEND reforms had slipped after the government failed to publish its response to the public consultation.
The consultation on proposed SEND reforms was launched in February of this year under Sir Keir Starmer’s government.
Ministers were widely expected to publish their response this month, but Ms. Powell has now confirmed to cross-party MPs that the government will publish the Education for All Bill alongside a full policy response to the consultation “very early on in the new year.”
Critics say the delay threatens to “squeeze an already tight schedule to pass the Education for All Bill and have the new system ready by September 2029.”
The schedule is important because the next general election must be held by August 2029. The delay therefore means the government could struggle to progress the legislation before voters head to the polls.
SEND reforms: ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity’ that can’t be rushed
But Ms. Powell asserted that the government was “taking the time this needs.”
She added:
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform a system that really isn’t working for parents or children.
“When I was on this committee, we did a big report on SEND eight or so years ago. This is something that has dogged governments. I think we are doing this in the right way, working with the sector, parents, schools and parliamentarians to really get these reforms right so people are happy they are going to be effective.
“One of the things I said when I came in as Secretary of State was the worst thing we could do is to produce legislation that isn’t quite right and that people don’t have trust in. So however long that takes to get that right, is what we will do.”
Her words echo those of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who told the press during a recent visit to Rolls-Royce in Derby that his government “can’t fix SEND in three months.”
He added:
“It’s not a reform that it would be right to rush because of how critical is it […] but, you know, we have laid out a plan for SEND reform and we’ll see it through.
“I’m personally very, very focused on it. It is part of a whole change in the way we support young people and families.”
Government will publish SEND reform package
Ms. Powell told the Education Committee that, alongside the Education for All Bill, the government was aiming to publish:
- A full policy response to the SEND consultation
- The National Inclusion Standards
- The specialist provision packages
She said the government was taking the required time to produce everything together “so parents, schools and local authorities can see the standards expected and what support they can expect to get for their child.”
The proposed SEND reforms include moving many children attending mainstream settings away from Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) to a new system of support from 2030.
Support for pupils would be organised into four levels:
- Universal offer – mainstream schools must provide better support for all pupils, including those with additional needs, becoming inclusive and accessible by default.
- Targeted support for children with additional needs, such as small-group teaching and tailored classroom materials.
- Targeted plus – provides children with access to specialists such as speech and language therapists where required.
- Children with the most complex needs continue to receive EHCPs, ensuring specialist support is legally guaranteed. The government will set out nationally defined packages of specialist provision.
Other measures include a new ‘Experts-at-Hand’ service that will bring together speech and language therapists, educational psychologists and wider professionals to ensure children can access early help and support.
The government says this new system would enable more children to access support earlier without having to secure an EHCP.
Concerns and criticisms for SEND reforms
But many campaigners are concerned that children who no longer qualify for the legally protected support of an EHCP could lose some of their rights.
Campaigners including Chris Packham, Sally Phillips and Simon Baron-Cohen wrote to ministers last month calling on them to abandon some key elements of the proposals.
There are also concerns that children and families will struggle with a delay to the reforms and a lack of certainty over what is coming.
Kate Heath is the Chief Executive of Gaia Learning and Bloom, an inclusive learner support platform. She said the delay to the SEND reforms would be “hard for families and schools to hear,” and added:
“We are calling for the government to give schools and local authorities a clear timeline and certainty as soon as possible for more clarity on what changes are coming.”
Councils struggling under surge in EHCP applications
Meanwhile, many local authorities are struggling to meet the rising cost of providing legally required support for children.
Demand for EHCPs continues to grow and a delay to the timetable for SEND reforms means the trajectory for these to come down “will be more gradual,” according to Whitehall sources.
Council leaders have already confirmed that applications for EHCPs have surged since the proposed SEND reforms were first announced, with parents and schools rushing to secure support before the rules change. Lengthening the timetable for the reforms could, in turn, prolong the rush for an EHCP, increasing the pressures on Councils.
The government has pledged further financial support for councils, but has warned that this will not be unlimited.
A spokesperson from the Department for Education previously said the government was “completely committed to the implementation timelines set out in the Schools White Paper.”
They added that they were already investing £4 billion and “taking action to transform the system – backing schools to improve inclusion, widening access to specialist support and rolling out training for every teacher.”
Schools must act on inclusion despite delay to SEND reforms
Although the legislation is being delayed, there is still a requirement for schools to develop inclusion and accessibility as a whole-school focus area.
The Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF) is already active, with initial funding released in June and July 2026, and schools are expected to use this to develop early, targeted interventions directly into mainstream classrooms. This could include adaptive teaching, speech and language support and accessible environments.
Since September, the fund has been aligned to Ofsted’s updated inspection toolkits, with inspectors explicitly assessing a school’s inclusive practice and how they engage with SEND pupils.
In addition, from 31st December 2026, every mainstream school must formally publish their annual Inclusion Strategy on their website as a strict condition of receiving the funding.
This all means that, despite a delay in the publication of the consultation response and the Education for All Bill, schools still need to act.
Strengthening inclusive practice in schools
First Response Training’s (FRT) new Neurodiversity and Inclusive Practice in Education training programme addresses this need.
Schools can fully fund this training through the IMF, as it aligns with the requirement to have all teaching and support staff effectively trained and supported to address diverse needs.
The Neurodiversity and Inclusive Practice in Education programme is a co-produced school improvement programme designed to help schools strengthen inclusive practice and improve outcomes for neurodivergent and SEND pupils, whether formally diagnosed or not.
Co-developed with education leaders at The Tapscott Learning Trust (TTLT) and Experts with Lived Experience of autism, ADHD and PDA, the programme supports schools to improve attendance, engagement, wellbeing, belonging and attainment through adaptive teaching, reasonable adjustments and whole-school culture change.
Inspired by the nationally recognised Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism, which has trained millions of healthcare professionals across England, the programme combines lived experience, practical strategies, implementation support and impact evaluation to create meaningful and lasting change within education settings.
Each session is co-delivered by Experts with Lived Experience of neurodivergence, providing valuable practical insights and unique perspectives to illuminate key principles.
The programme will also support schools to develop their Inclusion Strategies.
School staff leave with “tangible plans to improve inclusion”
Daniel Mansfield, Training Hub Director at TTLT, added:
“One of the most powerful aspects of this programme is that it moves beyond awareness and focuses on meaningful change in practice.
“Throughout the pilot phase, we saw staff develop a deeper understanding of neurodiversity, reflect honestly on the barriers pupils face and identify practical adaptations that could be implemented immediately.
“The ‘One Child in Mind’ approach helps bring the learning to life, ensuring discussions remain rooted in the experiences of real children rather than abstract theory.
“What stood out most was the impact of learning directly from Experts with Lived Experience, which consistently challenged assumptions, increased empathy and inspired action. Schools left not only with greater confidence and understanding, but with tangible plans to improve inclusion, strengthen relationships and create learning environments where all children can thrive.”
Download our flyer to find out more about Neurodiversity and Inclusive Practice in Education.
For further information on other types of neurodiversity training, visit FRT’s webpage or download the brochure.
First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver a wide and diverse range of training to schools, early years and childcare as well as health and social care and all other industry sectors.
Their training portfolio spans health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, safeguarding, mental health and neurodiversity training.
You can contact FRT via freephone 0800 310 2300, send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com or submit an online enquiry.