A message for parents and carers, children and young people
We know there is a lot of information and discussion about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform online and in the media. We understand this can feel uncertain.
We want to be clear about what SEND reform means locally in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP), and what it does and does not mean for your child.
At its heart, SEND reform is about something simple but important: helping children and young people feel that they belong, that they are listened to, and that they can thrive.
The five most important things to know
1 Families are at the heart of this work.
Parents, carers, children and young people are helping build how SEND reform is delivered locally in BCP. This is called co-production and means the real experts – families and children – have helped develop the plan.
2 Individual children’s needs will still be met
The purpose of reform is to help us improve support for children and young people, not reduce it. Our focus will always be on making sure individual needs continue to be met and that we build a better system for families in BCP.
3 Nothing is changing right now.
Change will take place over a number of years. Any national changes will happen gradually with most not felt till 2030. Families will be informed clearly and early if anything changes in the future.
4 ECHPs will remain for those who need them.
EHCPs will remain legal documents for children and young people with the most complex needs. New Individual Support Plans (ISPs) are proposed for some children with lower‑level needs. There will be reassessments at key transition points (such as moving from primary to secondary school) starting from September 2029 to determine whether a child should have an EHCPEHCPA legal document that describes a child or young person's special educational, health and social care needs. It explains the extra help that will be given to meet those needs and how that help will support the child or young person to achieve what they want to in their life. or an ISP.
5 Schools will be more inclusive.
Mainstream settings will be supported through approaches such as an “Experts at Hand” offer, which gives schools direct access to specialist advice from practitioners like speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and educational psychologists. Specialists will work more closely with school staff to provide timely advice and support—helping meet children’s needs earlier and ensuring the right support is in place at the right time.
SEND reform: answers to common questions
What is SEND reform?
SEND reform is a national programme led by the government to improve experiences and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
For families, this is about having support that feels easier to navigate, quicker to access, more inclusive and more joined up across education, health and care.
Inclusion means making sure every child feels welcome, understood and supported in their local school or setting, with the right help to learn, take part and belong.
What are the government’s main proposals?
The key changes under the government proposals are:
- All schools and early years settings will provide high-quality inclusive teaching
- children will be able to move easily between different types of support as their needs change.
- SEND practitioners, such as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and educational psychologists, will work with mainstream schools and settings to support children.
- Some mainstream schools will have extra support bases where children can get additional help while still being part of their local school. These are sometimes called ‘inclusion bases’.
- Every child with SEND will have a support plan. EHCPs will continue for children and young people with the most complex needs.
What is BCP Council’s role?
Locally, our role is to bring together education, health and care services to create a strong SEND plan for the area. This plan sets out how national guidance will be put into practice across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. In doing this, we will build on the good progress we have already made to improve support for children and young people with SEND.
How have you developed BCP’s local SEND reform plan?
Our first and most important step was to build this plan with parents, carers, children and young people about what they wanted. We call this co-production.
Schools, early years settings, SEND practitioners (such as speech and language professionals, educational psychologists and occupational therapists, and other health, education and social care professionals) have also contributed through workshops and detailed discussions. These co-production sessions have directly shaped BCP’s local SEND reform plan.
What did children and young people say and how will it influence your plan?
Children and young people told us they want:
- schools that are welcoming, inclusive and accepting
- places where children feel safe and understood
- fun, flexible and creative learning environments
- approaches that respond to different sensory needs.
We worked with children and young people through sessions in their schools, heard from students at Bournemouth and Poole College, and gathered views from care experienced young people (for example those who have been in foster care). Their voices have played a central role in shaping our work.
How has the voice of parents and carers influenced your plan?
Parents and carers told us they want:
- their children to feel included and understood
- support based on individual need
- better communication with parents and carers
- confidence that their child will have a positive experience
We worked closely with parents and carers through sessions led by Parent Carers Together, a parent carer forum for families of children and young people with SEND. They hosted SEND information and engagement events and provided opportunities for ongoing feedback and views to be shared online.
How has feedback from SEND practitioners and services shaped your plan?
People who support children and young people with SEND across our partnership told us they want to see:
- children and young people at the heart of everything
- support based on children’s individual needs and that is inclusive
- earlier help delivered by skilled practitioners
- strong partnership working across services.
What are the next steps?
Local area partnerships (which include the council, education, health and care services) must submit their plans to the government by 19 June 2026.
Once submitted:
- The Department for Education (DfE) will review each plan.
- They will provide feedback and recommendations to help strengthen the plans.
- Final versions of the plans are expected to be approved in Autumn 2026.
What would approval of our plan mean?
Only once the plans are officially approved will councils receive a High Needs Stability Grant to cover 90 per cent of historical SEND deficits. A SEND deficit means the council has had to spend more on supporting children with SEND than the funding it receives.
This grant would not remove all pressures, but it would create a more sustainable platform to continue improving services.
What could change at schools?
A key part of SEND reform is a stronger mainstream-first approach, meaning more children can be supported successfully in their local early years setting, school or college, with the right help in place.
A new ‘Experts at Hand’ offer will bring in additional support from specialist practitioners such as speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, occupational therapists and other experts to support mainstream schools and early years settings.
What will change to ECHPs and what are ISPs?
Education, Health and Care Plan’s (EHCPs) will remain legal documents for children and young people with the most complex needs. Nationally, the government is also proposing Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for some children with lower-level needs. These are intended to support children earlier, clearly set out needs and day‑to‑day support and be developed with parents and carers.
ISPs are not a replacement for EHCPs and would sit alongside existing support arrangements.
Will parents lose legal rights?
SEND reform does not reduce your right to raise concerns or challenge decisions.
When will changes take place for my child?
The proposed SEND reforms will take several years to transition to and rollout.
- 2026 to 2028. The government is investing in a nationwide SEND workforce. training programme, specialist support for schools, and early identification tools
- 2028 to 2029. Major legislative changes are scheduled to come into force.
- 2029 to 2030. The new needs-based system is scheduled to be phased in starting the 2029/30 academic year.
- 2030 and beyond: Children with current Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) will remain protected. The transition to new Individual Support Plans (ISPs) will not begin until at least 2030, and only when a child naturally moves between school phases (e.g., primary to secondary)
How will decisions about a child’s needs be made?
Any decisions about how your child’s needs are met will be based on their individual needs.
These decisions will be made carefully, and you will be fully involved throughout the process. Support will always be discussed with you and clearly explained so you understand what it means for your child.
What will not change?
SEND reform is not about removing support. Your child’s individual needs will continue to be met, and their existing support will not change automatically.
SEND reform will not automatically change your child’s plan, including an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and there will be no automatic reviews or reductions in support.
Children and young people will still be able to move between different levels of support as their needs change.
Mainstream settings (your child’s local school or setting) will continue to provide high‑quality, inclusive teaching, with support in place to help children take part and learn.
Specialist practitioners such as speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, and other experts will continue to support schools and settings. Through approaches such as the “Experts at Hand” offer, these specialists will work more closely with schools to provide advice, guidance and support earlier, helping staff meet children’s needs and making sure support is available at the right time.
Our commitment to families
This is a significant journey, and it will not happen overnight. But it is rooted in something very human: wanting every child and young person in BCP to feel that they belong, that their voice matters, and that they can thrive.
We will continue to work with families, listen carefully, and communicate clearly every step of the way.
Abbreviations: Glossary of terms
Explainer:
Practitioners are the professionals who work with your child, such as teachers, therapists and SEND specialists.
Mainstream means a child attending their local early years setting, school or college, rather than a specialist setting, with support in place to meet their needs.
Experts at Hand means the practitioners such as speech and language therapists, educational psychologists and occupational health therapists that will work more closely with school staff to provide timely advice and support, helping meet children’s needs earlier and ensuring the right support is in place at the right time. Read more about it here.