Expansion of rights for children with SEND announced

The government announced that schools will be legally required to create Individual Support Plans for all children with SEND, and that Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans will be retained and expanded, backed by multi-billion-pound investment in support services.

The government announced reforms to expand rights and support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The plan introduces a legal requirement for schools to create Individual Support Plans for every child identified with SEND. Ministers say more than 70% of children with additional needs currently do not have legally enforceable rights. The White Paper "Every Child Achieving and Thriving" also retains Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans and proposes broader legal entitlements for more intensive support. Key points: - All schools will be legally required to create Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for pupils identified with SEND. - ISPs will draw from a national framework of high-quality interventions and be personalised by teachers and specialists. - Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans will be retained and improved, offering a wider legal entitlement for more intensive or complex support. - The government pledged multi-billion-pound investment in services such as speech and language therapy and small-group teaching in schools. - Transitional protections are proposed so children in Year 3 or older will not be moved off an EHC if they do not want to until the end of secondary school; the Tribunal remains as an appeals route and mediation and complaints processes are to be strengthened. Summary: The reforms are presented as a long-term effort to make support for children with SEND more routine and less contested, and to improve inclusion across the education system. Implementation details and how the commitments will be delivered are to be developed in the coming months with input from families, schools and services.