Thank you for sharing your views and experiences
3 mins read
Wednesday 20 May 2026
The government’s consultation on its proposed changes to SEND support in schools has now closed. Contact’s CEO, Anna Bird wanted to personally thank the thousands of parent carers, local parent carer forums and the National Network of Parent Carer Forums who helped to make sure that families voices were heard throughout the consultation process.
“Thank you to everyone who gave up their precious time to respond to the government’s plans to change the way children with SEND are supported in school – whether that was directly by filling in the government’s consultation document, through Contact or through your local parent carer forum.
“It’s been fantastic to see so many parent carers come together to speak up for their children and make sure their lived experience remains at the heart of the national conversation. In particular, parent carer forums across England , supported by their umbrella body, the National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF), who have played a vital role over the last 12 weeks bringing families experiences directly to government at meetings with ministers and SEND development group meetings, select committee hearings, national roundtable events and conversations with Department for Education policy leads.
“We know that since the consultation was published back in March many of you have grown increasingly concerned about the proposals and have questioned whether their voices are truly being heard. We want to let you know that the feedback you have shared with through Contact, the NNPCF and local parent carer forums has been central to our organisational response to the consultation.
“Although the Schools White Paper consultation has now closed, this is not the end of the process. There is still much more to do and we will continue to work with parent carers and the NNPCF to make sure decision-makers understand the day-to-day realities parent carers face – just like we always have done.
“Thank you once again for sharing your views and experiences.”
What happens next?
In last week’s King’s speech, King Charles III announced the government’s plan to change the law around special educational needs support in England and to introduce new legislation through the ‘education for all’ bill. The changes are not law yet.
New bills must still be debated and approved by Parliament before they become law and any new system would not start before 2029 at the earliest, and there will be no changes to EHCPs before at least September 2030.