SEND Reform National Consultation Schools White Paper: “Every Child Achieving and Thriving”
The Government has published its Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, setting out proposals to reform the SEND system in England.
Important:
These are proposals only. The law has not changed, and current SEND rights remain in place.
A national consultation is now open until 18th May 2026, giving families, carers, charities and professionals the opportunity to influence what happens next.
Even if proposals are approved by Parliament, any changes are not expected to begin until 2029, with implementation phased over time.
What is being proposed?
Key proposals include:
✔ Introduction of Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for all children with SEND
✔ A new three-tier system: Targeted, Targeted Plus and Specialist
✔ Future EHCPs focused on children with the most complex needs
✔ Changes to accountability,
complaints and tribunal arrangements
✔ Increased investment in inclusion, workforce training and specialist support
What the Government has said
🌟 No child will lose support
🌟 Children in special schools will keep their places if they choose
🌟 No move from EHCPs to ISPs before 2029/2030
Update...
We’ve had our say on SEND Reform and its shape by you!
The Government is currently consulting on major changes to the SEND system in England. As your Parent Carer Forum, it’s our job to make sure the experiences of families in Cheshire West and Chester are front and centre of that conversation.
We’ve submitted a detailed response to the SEND Reform Consultation, drawing on the lived experiences of over 760 families gathered through our 2026 Survey, tabletop discussions, letters, and direct conversations with parent carers like you.
Our response covers everything from early identification and inclusive education to specialist support, EHCPs, the SEND workforce, funding, and accountability. Across all of it, we’ve been clear: families in Cheshire West and Chester are not against reform. Many of you welcome the direction of travel. But there is real anxiety about whether these changes will be backed by the investment, legal protections, and accountability that children actually need.
We’ve taken a two-pronged approach to make sure every voice was properly captured. We submitted our full, detailed response as a PDF via email to ensure the depth of evidence and lived experience was fully represented. We also submitted our recent survey for good measure.
Alongside this, we also completed the official online consultation form, using the same intelligence and insights, adapted to fit the tighter word count and slightly different wording required by the portal submission. This means our response is both comprehensive and fully aligned with the Government’s consultation process, ensuring nothing was lost in translation between formats.
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