SEND reform plan approved

Birmingham’s SEND reform plan has been given the green light amid ambitions of easing the “burden of navigating a complex system”.

With the government pushing ahead with proposed changes to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, a clear three-year plan was required for Brum.

Birmingham Council has confirmed this plan, which will prepare the city for the government’s planned reforms, was approved by the Department of Education earlier this month.

This development comes at a time when the second city faces significant challenges when it comes to providing services for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities.

Demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in particular continues to soar while figures from last year revealed dozens of children faced waits of several weeks for a special school placement in the city.

The city council says the tailored reform programme will focus on improving early intervention, strengthening inclusion in mainstream schools, increasing specialist support and expanding local provision to meet growing demand.

It continued that more than £21 million of government funding had already been secured for 2026/27 to support delivery.

The council went on to say that a key part of the programme is the development of Birmingham’s new Experts at Hand model.

This will provide earlier specialist advice and support for schools, early years settings and post-16 providers, helping more children and young people access the support they need in their local communities.

The plan also includes continued investment in specialist places in a bid to build on the creation of 17 new resource bases and 416 additional places since 2024, alongside further expansion of specialist provision across the city.

Cllr Kamel Hawwash, cabinet member for children, young people and families, told a recent meeting that Birmingham was among the local authorities “leading the way” in preparing for the government’s national SEND reforms.

But he also acknowledged the “considerable” challenge facing the council and added that demand for Education, Health and Care Plans “continues to rise rapidly”.

“Doing nothing is simply not an option,” he said.

Cllr Hawwash said in a later statement that the plans marks an “important milestone” in Birmingham’s journey to create a more inclusive and sustainable SEND system.

“We want every child and young person with SEND to receive the right support, at the right time, as close to home as possible,” he said.

“The reforms represent a significant change for our city and will require all of us, across education, health, care and local government, to work differently and more closely together.

“This plan sets out how we will work with partners, schools and families to improve outcomes, build local capacity to ensure children and young people can feel supported, valued and able to achieve their full potential.”

Cllr Nosheen Khalid, the cabinet member for health, said parents and carers of children with SEND often “carry the burden of navigating a very, very complex system”.

“This plan recognises that challenge and aims to create a more joined up approach across education, health and care services,” she said.

“From a health and wellbeing perspective, early identification and intervention is crucial.”

The council says the SEND Reform Delivery Plan will now move into the next phase of implementation, with works continuing through to 2029.

The government has previously said that the changes it plans to introduce will mean children with SEND “receive the right support early on as standard, wherever they go to school, so every child can achieve and thrive”.

By Alexander Brock | Local Democracy Reporting Service