The SEND White Paper and Your Family

March 5, 2026

Last week, the government released a big new plan for children with additional needs, called Every Child Achieving and Thriving, also known as the SEND Reform White Paper. Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) support over the next ten years. It is not law yet, but it could change the support children and families receive in the future, so it really matters to our community.

We know this kind of news can feel worrying and confusing. You may be asking: Will this change the help my child gets at school? What does it mean for their rights? Do I need to do something now?

At Skylarks, we are reading the plan carefully. Our role is to help you understand what’s going on and what it might mean for your family.

What gives us hope is that there is now open agreement that the system isn’t working and needs radical change. For years, families have had to fight for every bit of support. We’re pleased to see a clear vision for schools that are inclusive from the start, where support is part of everyday education, not something added on only when things go wrong.

“This White Paper is an important moment, but for our families, it will be judged on what happens in practice. Parents should not have to battle year after year for basic support. Our role at Skylarks is to stand alongside them, help them understand the changes and make sure their voices are heard as the new system is built.” — Aaron Guiver, Managing Director of Skylarks

Early help is at the heart of what we believe in at Skylarks. Our doors are open to everyone, as soon as you notice a need, whether or not your child has a diagnosis. We welcome the idea of a “support first” approach from the government. More money for teacher training and more specialists, like speech and language therapists, in local areas are also without a doubt needed.

What we’re keeping a close eye on

Big ideas are one thing, but how they work in real life is what matters. We have some important questions about how these changes will affect families day to day.

One of the biggest proposals is the new Individual Support Plan. While it is good that this support would be written into law, we are concerned about what happens if things go wrong. Under the current plans, these documents would be written by schools, but parents would not have the right to appeal them at a Tribunal.

If a school does not write a good plan, or fails to follow one, families must have a clear way to challenge that. We cannot have a system allowed to mark its own homework. We are also concerned about children who are currently out of the school system. If there is no plan that specifically includes them, we worry these changes will not truly improve the culture for everyone.

Finally, we know that money alone will not fix a previous culture. We want to make sure these “new” ideas are not just new labels for things schools already do. At the end of the day, children need skilled people in their classrooms, not just more paperwork with different names.

“Families usually come to us when the system feels broken. Some of the ideas in this White Paper could make that journey easier, but only if children’s rights stay clear and can be enforced. Any new plan has to be something parent-carers can genuinely rely on, not a promise that fades away when a school is under pressure.” — Jonathan Rourke, SEND Education Advice Service Manager

How Skylarks will support you

Our aim is to give you clear, honest information and stand alongside you while you work out what this means for your child.

We listen to families every day, and we want to hear your thoughts and questions on these changes.

To help you feel more prepared, we are running a series of information sessions to provide ongoing support, with further dates to be announced soon. The next two sessions are:

SEND White Paper: What It Means for You and Your Child

Online information session on Monday, 9th March at 10:00 am

By popular request, we’re repeating our previous session on the SEND Reform White Paper and what it could mean for your family.

SEND Reform White Paper: Support Plans and School Choices

Face‑to‑face workshop in Twickenham, Tuesday, 24th March, 10 - 12pm

Unpacking SEND reforms: Support plans, specialist provision and future school choices.

The government needs to hear from families before 18th May 2026. We are currently writing our own response based on what we've heard from you, but it is vital that you also share your story directly.

You can submit your views to the government on: SENDreform.CONSULTATION@education.gov.uk

Your voice is vital. It’s how a written vision is turned into real change for our children.

If you have questions or worries, please get in touch. We are here to support you.

Best wishes,

Aaron Guiver

Managing Director