SEND reforms 2026: what the Schools White Paper means for families

The government's Schools White Paper sets out major changes to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in England. Here's what's proposed, based on the Department for Education's own explanation for parents.

Four tiers of support

• Universal: support in every school, such as adaptive teaching and calm environments, where most children's needs should be met
• Targeted: structured help, such as small-group speech and language work or sensory support
• Targeted Plus: specialist input from professionals such as speech and language therapists and educational psychologists, through a new service called "Experts at Hand"
• Specialist: comprehensive support for complex needs through a "Specialist Provision Package" and an EHCP, in a mainstream or specialist setting

Individual Support Plans

Every child with additional needs will have an Individual Support Plan (ISP), a digital record of their needs and day-to-day support. Schools, nurseries and colleges will have a legal duty to create one for every child with SEND.

What happens to EHCPs

• EHCPs will stay for children who need more support than mainstream schools routinely provide, and will become digital.
• Children in special schools are not part of the review described below.
• For children in mainstream schools who are aged seven or under today, an assessment in three years' time will consider whether their needs can be met through an ISP.
• All other children keep their EHCP until at least age 16.
• No changes to EHCP-provided support will begin before September 2030, and a "triple lock" is intended to protect support during the transition.

Funding

The government has announced over £3.7 billion for 60,000 new specialist places, around £1.8 billion over three years for Experts at Hand, and £200 million for staff training.

What it means for school transport

The Department for Education's summary for parents doesn't mention home-to-school transport, and the proposals don't change the transport rules. Eligibility for SEND travel assistance still follows the existing statutory guidance and your council's travel policy. If anything changes for transport as the Education for All Bill progresses, we'll cover it here.

What happens next

The government plans to legislate through an "Education for All Bill", announced in the 2026 King's Speech. The public consultation on the reforms closed on 18 May 2026, and most proposals are expected to take effect from 2029.