2022 Green Paper: SEND Review

"What are the recommendations?

One main focus of the paper is to simplify Education, Health and Care Plans by making them more flexible and removing the ‘postcode lottery’ which often leaves many children with SEND, suffering worse outcomes than those without. It is hoped that these simplified plans will allow parents to make more informed decisions regarding school placements and their children’s educational needs.

The paper also suggests a ‘new national framework’ for councils with regards to banding tariffs, to offer clarity to parents and educators on the level of support expected, as well as improved workforce training throughout schools and early years settings; specifically, across early years, this will require an increase in the number of staff employed with the accredited level 3 qualification, despite the minimum requirement being level 2.

The paper has proposed an ‘overall change’ in the culture and practice in mainstream education with regards to children with SEND, with hopes to provide tools to schools and early years providers to be more inclusive and to become better at identifying children’s needs through earlier intervention. For example, the government has said that it will require councils to introduce local inclusion plans, bringing together early years, schools and post-16 education with health and care services, giving those involved in a child’s development, clarity on who is responsible for this and when."

As summarised by Stephenson's www.stephensons.co.uk