SEND proposals fall short for children and families: our response to the Green Paper consultation

Child with down syndrome smiling. Sat next to woman whose face isn't visible.

28 July 2022

Since the SEND Green Paper was launched in late March, we have been busy consulting with parents and carers of children with SEND, through our ‘Your Say on SEND’ survey. We’ve engaged with our workforce, parent and carer groups and organisations such as the Disabled Children Partnership.

On the 22 of July, we responded to the SEND Green Paper consultation. We shared with the Department for Education the data and testimonies we have collected as evidence about the proposals.

We believe there remain significant gaps in the Green Paper, and that some of the proposals will worsen delays and access to support for children with SEND. This includes proposed changes to the way that schools are presented to parents and carers, and reform focused on creating a banding and tariff system which categorises needs.

Following our engagement, we have put forward 15 recommendations based on our findings. These were:

It must be made clearer to families what rights and support they are entitled to
Any SEND reform should be co-designed with children and families
Changes must join up the system for children and families
There must be mechanisms which ensure compliance with the law
Parental choice must be retained
Families should have access to an independent advocate
Ofsted inspections must be more focused on SEND
The Government must take steps to address delays in the system
Family Hubs should include SEND support
Supported internships should be more inclusive
Post-16 support must be a priority
National and local data should be used and improved
Children’s needs should not be made to fit into funding bands
A clear timeline for reform is needed
Gaps in the Green Paper must be addressed, including physical disability, school-based avoidance, and diagnostic overshadowing

We will shortly be publishing a summary report of our findings and recommendations. For now, you can read our full response to the Green Paper consultation here.

“The SEND proposals as they stand do not address the accountability gap or make it clear what rights families have to challenge the system where it is failing. Children and families must be listened to and actively involved in all SEND Reform. We will continue to highlight the experiences of families and campaign on behalf of the people we support.”

Lucy Croxton, our Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager