SEND Reform Backlash: What It Means, and the Role Education Suppliers Must Play

The Department for Education is once again under pressure, this time over proposed reforms to the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) system, specifically, the potential restriction of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) to children in special schools only.

According to a recent Schools Week article, ministerial advisers are reportedly exploring options to reform or limit the use of EHCPs as part of efforts to fix a system widely acknowledged to be overstretched and adversarial. While change is undoubtedly needed, the suggestion that EHCPs could be limited to special school settings has sparked fierce concern from parents, educators, and SEND advocates.

And rightly so.

The Real Issue Isn’t the Plan, It’s the System

EHCPs exist to provide a legal guarantee of the support children with SEND need to access education. But the system is struggling. Families often wait months, or even years, for an assessment. Schools are left with inadequate funding to meet the needs of students without a plan. The process is widely criticised as combative and bureaucratic.

But limiting EHCPs doesn’t solve those issues, it risks making them worse.

Reducing legal entitlements may ease pressure on the system in the short term, but it could also leave thousands of children in mainstream schools without the tailored support they need. Inclusion can’t happen without investment, training, and resources at every level, not just in special schools.

A Tipping Point for Inclusion

This moment could go one of two ways.

• It could lead to a dangerous step backwards, where support becomes more exclusive and harder to access.

• Or, it could be a tipping point for investment in inclusion, where mainstream schools are empowered with the tools, training, and resources to meet a broader range of needs, before an EHCP is even necessary.

That second path won’t be led by policy alone. It will require support from every part of the education ecosystem, including suppliers and EdTech businesses.

The Opportunity for Education Suppliers and EdTech Companies

This evolving landscape presents a huge opportunity and responsibility for education suppliers, EdTech innovators, and service providers to step up their game.

Here’s how:

Support for Early Identification and Intervention

With pressure to reduce EHCP reliance, schools will need better tools to spot and support learners’ needs early. EdTech companies offering screening tools, progress monitoring, and diagnostic assessments can play a vital role here.

Flexible, Inclusive Resources

Suppliers of classroom resources, software, and learning platforms should focus on universal design principles, ensuring that content is accessible to a wide range of learners, including those with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and sensory processing needs.

Teacher CPD and SEND Training

As more pupils with complex needs are taught in mainstream settings, there’s a growing demand for CPD in inclusive teaching strategies, behaviour support, and classroom differentiation. Training providers and EdTech platforms can fill this gap.

Data and Insights to Drive Provision

Schools and local authorities need better data dashboards and reporting tools to monitor SEND support and ensure accountability in the absence of EHCPs. Suppliers offering these tools can support more informed decision-making.

Parent Communication and Engagement Platforms

With parents at the heart of the current backlash, there’s a real need for tools that support transparent communication, progress sharing, and collaborative goal-setting between families and schools.

Final Thoughts

We all agree that the current SEND system needs reform. But any change must be rooted in the principle that every child deserves the support they need to thrive in school, regardless of setting or label.

Education suppliers have a critical role in making inclusive education a practical reality. That means designing solutions not just for compliance or reporting but for genuine impact, in the classroom, for the teacher, and most importantly, for the child.

Now is the time to listen, adapt, and lead.