SEND reforms require proper funding and implementation to achieve successful inclusion
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial. "The Guardian view on Send reforms: ministers need to show how inclusion will work | Editorial | The Guardian." February 23, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The government's plan to reform special needs education by including more children in mainstream schools is good in principle, but it will only work if they provide enough money and properly trained staff. Without adequate resources, children with special needs will suffer.
Conclusion
The government's SEND reforms will only succeed if ministers provide adequate funding, skilled staff, and careful implementation that doesn't disadvantage children
Premises
- The government has secured £1.8bn in new funding and allayed fears of disguised cost-cutting, though the fiscal envelope remains too tight
- Schools must be properly resourced to handle their expanded role in supporting SEND children, not just given extra responsibilities without means
- The emphasis on inclusion is positive, as the rise in separate education (from 1.1% to 1.9% of pupils in 20 years) is concerning beyond just costs
- Rising SEND needs are linked to new pressures on children including social media, the pandemic, and socioeconomic disadvantage
- A gradualist approach makes sense given the complexity, with specialist providers remaining part of the reshaped system
- The processes for new individual support plans must be robust and open to challenge to maintain parental confidence
Assumptions
- Inclusion and high standards can be achieved simultaneously in mainstream schools
- Proper funding and staffing can overcome implementation challenges
- Parents and charities will accept stricter EHCP criteria if alternatives are well-resourced
- Education should be viewed as a public good rather than left to markets
- Current separate education trends are problematic and reversible