"The package includes a £1.6bn Inclusive Mainstream Fund over three years, which will go directly to early years settings, schools and colleges to strengthen in-class support. A further £1.8bn will fund a new "Experts at Hand" service designed to create a local bank of specialists, including SEND teachers and speech and language therapists in every area."
"£4bn sounds substantial, but spread nationally over three years, it risks being absorbed by backlogs and rising demand," she said. "Funding alone won't fix challenges around assessments, thresholds and accountability." She added that many children with moderate but genuine needs often struggle to access timely support. "Too often, help only comes once a child reaches crisis point. Early intervention is not a cost. it's an investment."
"Keir Starmer said the reforms would help families secure tailored support without having to "fight the system". "That means no more 'one size fits all' approach," he said, promising provision built around individual needs and delivered locally."
The government announced a £4bn investment package to transform support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The package includes a £1.6bn Inclusive Mainstream Fund over three years to strengthen in-class support in early years settings, schools and colleges, and £1.8bn to create an "Experts at Hand" local bank of specialists including SEND teachers and speech and language therapists. The reforms aim to provide tailored, locally delivered support and move away from a one-size-fits-all approach. Sector experts and parents caution that funding risks being absorbed by backlogs, rising demand, assessment and accountability issues, and that early intervention must be prioritized as an investment.
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