A clear update from Hull Parent Carer Forum

A Parent Carer’s Guide to the Proposed SEND Reforms.

The consultation has closed, but the reforms have not become law.

The short answer: the law has not changed. The Government is considering the responses it received, but it has not published its final decisions or legislation. Children, young people and families still have their existing rights under current SEND law.

What has happened?

The SEND reform consultation closed on 18 May 2026.

What changes now?

Nothing yet. The proposals are not law and current duties still apply.

What should families do?

Continue asking for the support, assessments and provision your child needs now.

Where are we now?

The Department for Education published its SEND reform proposals on 23 February 2026. The consultation, SEND reform: putting children and young people first, closed on 18 May 2026. The Government is reviewing the responses before setting out its response and next steps. [Source 1]

A consultation explains what the Government is considering and asks for views. It does not change the law. Major reforms would still need legislation, detailed regulations and updated statutory guidance.

What is the Government proposing?

The aim is to provide help earlier, make support more consistent across England and reduce the need for families to secure an EHCP before meaningful help becomes available.

National Inclusion Standards setting clearer expectations for education settings.
A stronger Universal Offer in mainstream education.
Targeted and Targeted Plus support without requiring an EHCP or formal diagnosis.
An Individual Support Plan for every child or young person identified with SEND.
Experts at Hand, bringing professionals such as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and educational psychologists closer to mainstream settings.
Inclusion Bases in secondary schools and some primary schools.
Specialist Provision Packages for specified groups of complex need.
Reformed EHCPs for children and young people who need the Specialist layer.
Changes to complaints, mediation, disagreement resolution and Tribunal routes.

The four proposed layers of support

Universal

Adaptive teaching, reasonable adjustments and early help in all mainstream settings.

Targeted

Evidence-based adjustments or interventions, often delivered by staff in the setting.

Targeted Plus

More specialist input through services such as Experts at Hand, without requiring an EHCP.

Specialist

Support beyond what mainstream settings routinely provide, linked to a Specialist Provision Package and an EHCP.

Still unclear

These layers are proposals, not a finished pathway. The Government says children would not have to climb through every layer. However, the final rules about who decides the correct layer, how quickly support must begin and what families can challenge have not been published.

Individual Support Plans: what are they?

Under the proposals, every child or young person identified with SEND would have an Individual Support Plan (ISP). It is intended to be a digital, changing record of their needs, barriers, day-to-day support, reasonable adjustments, expected outcomes and review arrangements. [Sources 1–3]

The Government proposes a legal duty on education settings to create and maintain ISPs, with parents and young people involved.

Important

An Individual Support Plan is not currently the same as an EHCP.

An EHCP creates specific statutory duties, including the local authority's duty to secure the provision in Section F. The legislation has not yet established whether every item in a future ISP would be individually enforceable in the same way.

What could happen to EHCPs?

EHCPs are not being abolished. The Government proposes keeping and reforming them for children and young people who require the Specialist layer.

For children and young people who already have an EHCP, the Government has said:

changes to existing EHCP support would not begin before September 2030;
the first assessments under the proposed new system are expected from September 2029 for children approaching a transition point;
movement would happen at natural phase transitions, rather than part-way through a phase;
children with a special-school place in September 2029 could remain in special school until they finish education unless they choose to move; and
specialist provision and EHCPs would continue up to age 25 for young people who need them.

At a future transition review, a child or young person might move either to a reformed specialist EHCP or to support through an ISP in the inclusive mainstream system. The legal tests, safeguards and transition arrangements have not been finalised. [Sources 1, 2 and 4]

Could this affect my child's support now?

Right now: current SEND law still applies

Schools, colleges and local authorities cannot use possible future reforms as a reason to delay an assessment, reduce provision or refuse to follow an existing EHCP.

Parents and young people can still request an EHC needs assessment.
Local authorities must apply the current statutory test, not a proposed future threshold.
Where an EHCP is maintained, the local authority must secure the special educational provision in Section F.
EHCPs must continue to be reviewed under the current annual review requirements.
Parents and young people retain current mediation and appeal rights.
Schools and other responsible bodies still have Equality Act duties, including making reasonable adjustments.
Children receiving SEN Support should still receive the graduated approach of assess, plan, do and review.

These rights come from the current legal framework. [Sources 5–9]

If someone says “the law is changing”

Ask them to explain the current legal basis for their decision in writing. A white paper, consultation or possible future policy does not replace duties that are in force today.

What could be better—and what needs watching?

There are ideas many families have long asked for: earlier support, more inclusive mainstream settings, better access to specialist professionals, clearer national standards and less need to fight for every adjustment.

Whether that happens will depend on the final law, funding, workforce and accountability. HPCF believes close attention is needed to:

enough funding and qualified staff in education settings;
whether provision outside an EHCP will be individually enforceable;
clear thresholds and independent routes to challenge decisions;
avoiding standard packages that overlook individual need;
protecting children who cannot currently access mainstream education;
early years, post-16 and support up to age 25;
accountability when education, health and care bodies disagree; and
genuine co-production with children, young people and families.

What can families do now?

Ask for help now

Do not delay because you have heard the system may change.

Keep a written record

Put requests and important decisions in writing and keep copies of plans, reports, correspondence and attendance information.

Make support specific

Ask the setting to record the support, frequency, staffing, intended outcomes and how it will be reviewed.

Use current rights

You can still request an EHC needs assessment. If your child has an EHCP, check that Section F provision is being delivered.

Get advice quickly

Current appeal deadlines still apply. Reform proposals do not pause them.

What do we still not know?

What will the final legal test be for a reformed EHCP and Specialist Provision Package?
Which parts of an ISP will create an individual, enforceable entitlement?
Who will be responsible if ISP provision is not delivered, and what independent remedy will families have?
How will disagreements about the correct support layer, provision or placement be challenged?
How will children with complex needs in mainstream, children out of education and those receiving education otherwise than at school be protected?
What legal transition protections will apply to children and young people with existing EHCPs?

What HPCF will do next

We will share clear updates when the Government publishes its response, legislation or detailed guidance. We will keep gathering the experiences of Hull parent carers, raising local preparedness issues and challenging any suggestion that future reforms justify reducing current support or rights.

We will work with SENDIASS and other partners while maintaining HPCF's independent parent-carer voice.

Official sources and further information

The numbered references used above link to official Government publications and legislation. Links checked on 26 July 2026.