Keir Starmer makes key promise as major school SEND plans announced

Under changes being announced by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, mainstream schools will receive direct funding as part of a £4 billion package to make them more inclusive

Keir Starmer has vowed to give families tailored special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support under a shake-up of the broken system.

Under changes being announced on Monday mainstream schools will receive direct funding as part of a £4 billion package to make them more inclusive. The Department for Education said some £1.6 billion over three years will be provided to early years, schools and colleges through an “inclusive mainstream fund”.

Another £1.8 billion over the same period will go towards creating an “experts at hand” service, the government said. This will be made up of specialists such as Send teachers and speech and language therapists in every area. It forms part of a long-awaited schools white paper being published on Monday.

Mr Starmer said: “I’ve heard first hand the struggles and exhaustion faced by too many parents who feel they have to fight the system to get their child the support they need. But getting the right support should never be a battle – it should be a given.

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He added: “That means no more ‘one size fits all’ system that only serves children who fit the mould. Instead, families will get tailored support built around their child’s individual needs, available on their doorstep. Whatever their background, wherever they live – this government will do right by every child.”

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Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who will unveil the reforms on Monday,added: “These reforms are a watershed moment for a generation of young people and generations to come, and a major milestone in this government’s mission to make sure opportunity is for each and every child.”

Last week research from disability charity Sense showed parents with complex needs are spending more than £8,500 a year due to long delays for support. Sense said parents are forced to pay for private assessments from professionals such as speech and language therapists and education psychologists while their kids wait to be granted an Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP).

EHCPs legally guarantee the support a child is entitled to but delays and inconsistent decisions mean families can wait years to get one

Appearing on the BBC today, Ms Phillipson said the government’s proposals will “set our vision for a once in a generation opportunity to deliver a better system”. Asked whether any children who currently receive support lose it under the government’s plans, Ms Phillipson said: “I want to be absolutely crystal clear… this is about better support, earlier for children.

“EHCPs will have an important role to play in the new system. This is going to be a decade-long transformation. A decade-long reform that will be carefully managed, done with parents, with better outcomes for children.” She added: “We are not going to be taking away effective support from children”.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of learning disability charity Mencap, said: “The move to make mainstream schools more inclusive is welcome news. Families must have their children’s needs identified early and for them to be given the right help straight away, backed by services fully funded to do the job, and rights underpinned by law.”