Breaking the cycle: A blueprint for special educational needs and disability (SEND) reform

There is consensus that the education system is not working well enough for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their families, or the professionals delivering support. This isn’t the fault of any of the actors within the system; families are legitimately seeking out support for their children while education providers, councils and health leaders are struggling to balance competing priorities and stretched resources. 

There is a shared view that change is necessary and urgent, but less agreement on what change should look like or how it should be implemented. 

This report draws on expertise from families, education professionals and the third sector to identify the key concerns, challenges and causes. It then sets out the path to root-and-branch reform, starting with a vision for inclusive education and arriving at a system that can deliver better support sooner while providing assurance for families and young people along the way.