SEND reform must deliver both inclusion and accountability

The government’s proposed SEND reforms represent the biggest changes to SEND support in a generation. With demand for SEND support continuing to rise, the reforms aim to create a more inclusive and responsive system for children and young people. The proposed introduction of legally required digital Individual Support Plans (ISPs) represents a significant shift in how support could be coordinated, recorded and reviewed. Jamie Rowell explores what the reforms could mean in practice and why collaboration, transparency, accountability and effective digital infrastructure will be critical to supporting families, professionals and local authorities in the years ahead.

By Jamie Rowell, Head of Product and Strategy, Social Care, Idox

Few would disagree that England’s SEND system needs reform.

The publication of the government’s schools white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, and the accompanying SEND reform consultation represent the most significant proposed changes to the system since the introduction of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) more than a decade ago. The ambition is clear: to create a more inclusive system that delivers earlier support and ensures children and young people receive the right support at the right time.

The pressures driving reform are well understood across the sector.

The number of children and young people identified with SEND continues to grow, alongside increasing demand for statutory assessments and EHCPs. At the same time, local authorities face ongoing challenges in meeting the statutory 20-week timeframe for issuing plans. For SEND teams, schools and partner agencies, the challenge is not a lack of commitment but managing increasing demand within an already stretched system.

What is encouraging is that the conversation has moved beyond recognising these challenges and towards finding solutions.

Many local government leaders have broadly welcomed the direction of reform.

However, it is equally important to acknowledge that the reforms have generated significant concern among disability rights organisations with questions asked about changes to EHCP eligibility, support tiers and the potential impact on statutory protections for some children and young people. 

These concerns should not be dismissed.

All stakeholders are seeking the same outcome: a system that delivers timely, effective support and better outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

The real question is how that support will be delivered, tracked and accountable.

One of the most significant elements of the government’s proposals is the introduction of Individual Support Plans (ISPs). The Department for Education has proposed a new legal duty requiring schools to put an ISP in place for every child and young person with SEND. Importantly, these plans are described as a digital record of a child’s needs and the day-to-day support being provided, developed in partnership with parents. 

Alongside this, the proposed model introduces graduated layers of support, including Targeted and Targeted Plus interventions, with EHCPs retained and strengthened for children and young people with the most complex needs.

The reforms will not take effect immediately. Government describes SEND reform as a decade-long programme, with new legislation expected to be introduced from September 2029. The first children approaching the end of primary, secondary or post-16 education would be assessed under the new arrangements during the 2029/30 academic year and begin moving to the reformed system from September 2030. Existing EHCP support will remain in place until at least that point, with transition phased around natural moves between stages of education.

The Department for Education has made clear that schools and colleges will have responsibility for producing ISPs, working in partnership with parents and, where appropriate, local authorities and other professionals. However, government has not yet set out the full technical delivery model for these digital records. Further detail, including responsibilities and implementation requirements, is expected through legislation and an updated SEND Code of Practice. 

This creates an important opportunity to ensure digital delivery is designed around the needs of children, families and practitioners from the outset.

A digital ISP should not simply reproduce a paper document on screen. It should provide visibility of agreed support, enable appropriate contributions from those involved, support transitions between settings and create a reliable record of what has been delivered, reviewed and improved over time.

The phased timetable also provides an opportunity for local authorities, schools and technology partners to prepare. Lessons learned from the delivery of EHCP processes can help shape digital approaches that support collaboration, family engagement and accountability across the wider SEND system.

The principle of earlier intervention and stronger mainstream inclusion is widely supported. Yet an important practical question remains.

How do we ensure visibility, accountability and oversight for support provided below the EHCP threshold?

Historically, much of this provision has been coordinated through local processes, individual schools, documents, spreadsheets and professional judgement. 

Practitioners work incredibly hard to deliver support, but maintaining a consistent view of interventions, progress, outcomes and stakeholder involvement can be difficult across large numbers of children and young people.

The government’s proposals recognise this challenge. By introducing a legal requirement for ISPs and positioning them as digital records, there is a clear acknowledgement that support must be visible, recorded and understood by everyone involved in a child’s journey. 

The success of reform will depend not only on policy change but on how effectively information is shared, maintained and used in practice.

Today, our EHC Hub solution helps local authorities streamline statutory assessment, planning and review processes while supporting collaboration between education, health and care professionals. By bringing information together in a shared digital environment, it helps reduce duplication, improve visibility and support more joined-up decision-making.

Just as importantly, it helps address one of the frustrations frequently expressed by families.

The Department for Education has acknowledged that many parents feel they are not listened to and often have to fight for support or chase updates on progress. The reforms themselves seek to improve transparency and partnership with families. 

Through EHC Hub, parents and carers can remain informed throughout the process, access information more easily and engage with professionals through a shared view of progress. This helps create a more transparent experience and supports the collaborative approach that effective SEND delivery depends upon.

Looking ahead, the principles underpinning EHC Hub feel increasingly aligned with the direction of travel set out by government.

Whether support is delivered through an EHCP, an Individual Support Plan or another future model emerging from the reform programme, services will need ways to record interventions, engage families, support multi-agency working and evidence outcomes

The debate should not be framed as EHCP versus non-EHCP support. It should focus on how we ensure every child and young person receiving SEND support benefits from clear accountability, coordinated delivery and meaningful involvement from those around them.

The details of reform will continue to evolve as government develops legislation. However, the underlying ambition is unlikely to change. The future SEND system will place greater emphasis on inclusion, earlier intervention, stronger collaboration and greater transparency.

At Idox, we remain committed to listening to the professionals delivering SEND services every day and developing solutions that help them meet these challenges. Because whatever shape reform ultimately takes, the goal remains unchanged: improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND and ensuring they receive the support they need to achieve and thrive.