Specialist SEND support announced for every school and community

The government announced a £4 billion package to expand specialist support for children with additional needs, including a £1.6bn Inclusive Mainstream Fund and a £1.8bn 'Experts at Hand' service over three years.

The government has announced a £4 billion package to expand specialist support for children with additional needs and to make mainstream schools more inclusive. The funding is presented alongside a schools white paper called Every Child Achieving and Thriving. Ministers say the plan draws on conversations with parents and teachers and on evidence gathered by the Education Select Committee and expert reports. Officials say the measures aim to make support available earlier and reduce the need for families to contest access to help. Key details: - Total announced investment: £4 billion aimed at expanding specialist support and inclusion in mainstream settings. - Inclusive Mainstream Fund: £1.6 billion over three years, to be provided directly to early years settings, schools and colleges for targeted support and interventions. - 'Experts at Hand' service: £1.8 billion over three years to create a local bank of specialists, such as teachers and speech and language therapists, that schools can draw on regardless of whether a child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). - Additional funding and measures cited include a record high-needs increase of £3.5 billion in 2028/29 above prior Autumn Budget funding, a £3.7 billion capital investment to require schools to have inclusion bases, training for teachers, and 60,000 new specialist places. Summary: The package is described as an attempt to embed inclusion in mainstream schools and to bring specialist support into local communities, with funds and services aimed at earlier, on-site help for children with additional needs. Undetermined at this time.