The schools white paper & SEND reforms
This advice applies in England only.
The government has set out proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in England in its schools white paper. On this page you’ll find what you need to know about the white paper and planned reforms.
The publication of a white paper does not change existing SEND law. Your child’s legal rights to support remain in place.
In this article
What is the schools white paper?
The government published its school’s white paper “Every Child Achieving and Thriving”, on Monday 23 February 2026.
This paper sets out proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in England. Watch our short video explaining what a white paper is
Now published, there will be a 12-week consultation. Families, charities and professionals can respond and influence what happens next. Only after consultation would any proposed changes move into draft legislation. That legislation would need to go through Parliament.
During this time, existing SEND law remains unchanged. If you are told that support has changed because of the white paper, this is not correct.
What’s in the schools white paper?
Here’s an overview of the main SEND reforms proposed in the schools white paper.
Individual Support Plans
Schools, nurseries and colleges will have a new legal duty to produce an Individual Support Plan (ISP) for every child with a special educational need.
This means:
- Each ISP must be reviewed annually.
- Every child with SEND would have a digital plan of support, written by the school.
- Parents should be involved in producing the ISP.
Targeted and Specialist layers of support
Schools will provide support to children with ISPs at two layers: Targeted (including Targeted Plus) and Specialist.
Targeted and Targeted Plus support will replace the current SEN support for children without education, health and care (EHC) plans.
Targeted support provides structured support within mainstream settings, including small-group work or personalised materials. This is predominantly in the classroom, but where appropriate in the school’s Inclusion Base.
Targeted Plus provides better access to specialists like education psychologists and speech and language therapists through the government’s new Experts at Hand services. It may also include accessing Inclusion Bases within mainstream settings.
Specialist support is a higher level of help that will take the form of Specialist Provision Packages (SSPs). Only children who have SSPs will have EHC plans.
EHC plan eligibility
The white paper says that SSPs will provide comprehensive, evidence-based packages of support for children and young people with the most complex needs.
However, there is no definition of complex needs in the white paper. We don’t know which children and young people will be eligible for SSPs and EHC plans. There is a concern that the threshold for getting an EHC plan could become higher, and this has understandably caused concern among parents.
Access to specialists, training and transparency
The White paper sets out:
- That each local area will have better access to specialists, including speech and language, occupational and physiotherapists, under the government’s Experts at Hand service. Schools can tap into those resources when needed.
- A new national training programme for teachers to help build more inclusive culture and classrooms in mainstream schools.
- More published information about SEND Tribunal outcomes, so families can see how local authorities are performing.
- A realistic timeframe – we welcome the commitment to build capacity for inclusion in mainstream schools before legal changes are introduced.
- A fast-track assessment process for under-fives with very complex needs.
Appeals and challenges
Under the proposals:
- The SEND Tribunal may have reduced powers.
- Parents may no longer be able to name a specific school.
- Annual EHC plan reviews could be replaced with less frequent reviews.
When will the changes happen?
The government has said that no child will lose effective support already in place:
- Every child with a special school place in 2029 will keep it if they want it until they finish education.
- Children with EHC plans in mainstream schools will not be moved to ISPs until at least 2030. And this will only happen when moving between school stages (for example, primary to secondary).
- Transition for children with an EHC plan in mainstream settings who will best supported in the future via an ISP, rather than an EHC plan, will only begin from 2030 once the new inclusive mainstream system has been fully built. This will only happen as children naturally move between phases, like from primary to secondary
- ISPs will be in place for children transitioning from an EHC plan before they move to the new system. This will mean there is no break in support.
What does Contact think?
We’ve written a brief overview, including some of the information above, alongside what we welcome, what we’re concerned about, and where we think there are gaps.
Following the white paper’s publication, Anna Bird, CEO of Contact and Co-chair of the Disabled Children’s Partnership said:
“The government’s announcement on plans to improve the special educational needs system in England, in particular their vision to improve support for children without the battle that many parents currently encounter, is one we warmly welcome.
“In particular we applaud the announcement of a new legal right to an Independent Support Plan – school-based support. This was a key Contact recommendation. If children are supported in school as soon as their additional needs become apparent, many families will not have to go through a lengthy and traumatic legal process to get support for their child. We are also relieved to see the SEND tribunal is retained. This is vital for families to hold the system to account when things go wrong or secure an EHC plan or a special school place if their child needs one.
“We are concerned about the eligibility of EHC plans, which is not clear from today’s announcement. We will look at the details of the white paper and work with families, ministers and MPs to ensure changes to the law work for every child with additional needs.”
How can I share my views?
The government has published its consultation document and asks for comments from everyone with an interest.
You can take part online. You can also respond to this consultation via email at [email protected], or by post to:
SENDAP Reform, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BT
The consultation closes on 11:59pm on 18 May 2026.
After the consultation closes, any changes would still need to go through Parliament. Throughout that entire process, existing SEND law remains in place.
Useful links
We’ve put together list of links you might find useful:
- Schools white paper: Every child achieving and thriving.
- White paper easy read version.
- White paper guidance documents.
- White paper consultation document.
- Consultation response page.
How has Contact been involved in shaping the white paper?
Contact together with over 100 charities in the Disabled Children’s Partnership published the Fight For Ordinary report, setting out a vision for SEND reform.
We are clear: reform must strengthen support and safeguard children’s existing rights. We’d like to see a legal guarantee of support for every child with SEND including those without an education, health and care (EHC) plan.
- Reform must strengthen support — not weaken it.
- EHC plans must be safeguarded.
- Rights must be protected.
- Access to support must improve.
Families deserve a system that works — without having to fight for it.