Island Parents and Experts Warn Government SEND Reforms Could Be “Dangerous”

Controversial government plans to overhaul special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision have been criticised as “budget cuts dressed up as being good for kids” at a community meeting in Newport last night (Wednesday, March 11).

The session, hosted by Isle of Wight SEN Support at the Riverside Centre, focused on the government’s Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper, which aims to halve the gap in outcomes for disadvantaged children and reform the SEND system.

The proposals, currently under consultation until May 18, centre around the following pillars:

• Identifying needs early

• Learning close to home alongside peers

• Properly resourced settings

• Clear legal rights

• National standards

• Joined-up education, health, and care support

The Department for Education has said the plan will make mainstream schools “truly inclusive” and includes billions of pounds in investment for classroom adaptations, staff training, and specialist support.

Under the proposals, all children with SEND would have an Individual Support Plan (ISP), while Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) – currently legally enforceable for children with complex needs – would be “retained and improved” only where mainstream support is insufficient.

Amanda Tickle, co-director of Isle of Wight SEN Support, told the meeting:

“Many children who currently qualify may no longer receive an EHCP.

"Children could be moved onto school-based plans instead, which do not carry the same legal protections.

"Parents would have to rely on school complaints systems and mediation processes, which are not independent like tribunals.”

Rachel, a local mother and co-director, was blunt in her assessment:

“I’d throw it in the bin. It’s regressive.

"It’s actively dangerous and clearly just budget cuts disguised as support for children.

"Provision needs to be needs-led – this plan isn’t.”

Another mother, Sharon, described her own struggles:

“I’ve got a high-functioning autistic daughter.

"By Year 5 she was struggling, and secondary school was impossible without support.

"We had to fight for months just to get a paediatrician and CAMHS support – she ended up in an ambulance before anyone acted.”

She added:

“The schools are already stretched. These proposals put more pressure on staff and children without providing the specialist professionals needed.”

Parents and experts at the meeting called for properly trained staff, robust needs-based support, and legal safeguards to remain central to any SEND reform.

The consultation on the white paper runs until 18 May, and the Department for Education is seeking feedback from families, schools, and support organisations across the country.