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Most local authorities believe the government's proposed reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system will improve outcomes for children and young people, but concerns remain about the long-term financial sustainability of the reforms and the pressures facing the existing system.
A new independent report commissioned by the Local Government Association and the County Councils Network found that 81% of councils believe the reforms will lead to better outcomes for children and young people with SEND, while 94% said they would encourage greater focus on early intervention.
However, fewer than half of councils surveyed (43%) believed the proposals would result in a more financially sustainable system.
The report, SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First – The View from Local Government on Impact and Implementation, highlights concerns about growing demand for Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessments ahead of the planned introduction of a new tiered support system intended to replace EHCPs from 2029.
According to the report, some councils have already experienced what it describes as a "very significant surge" in requests for EHCP assessments, with parents seeking to secure plans before the proposed reforms take effect. In some areas, assessment requests were reported to be around one-third higher than expected.
Researchers warn that the existing SEND framework is particularly vulnerable during the period between the announcement of reforms and their implementation, creating a risk that EHCP numbers could significantly exceed current government forecasts by the time the new system is introduced.
The report argues that councils should not be left carrying the financial consequences of rising demand driven by national policy changes. Local authorities are calling for greater clarity from government on SEND funding arrangements beyond 2028, despite previous commitments that central government will assume responsibility for SEND deficits from that date.
The survey, based on responses from 54 local authorities, found broad support for the reform programme. At least 80% of respondents expressed positive or somewhat positive views about each major element of the proposals, while 76% believed the changes would create a fairer and more consistent approach to SEND support.
Although 87% of councils said they were confident they had the capacity to implement the reforms, many were less confident that key local partners, including schools and health services, would have sufficient capacity to do the same.
The report stresses that the reforms must be implemented as a coherent package and warns against introducing only selected elements of the programme. Local authorities argue that the proposals are interdependent and that partial implementation risks repeating the shortcomings of the current system.
Commenting on the findings, Amanda Hopgood, Chair of the LGA’s Children, Young People and Families Committee, said councils welcomed the government's ambitious reform agenda but warned that attempting to build a new system while managing the shortcomings of the existing one could undermine successful implementation.
Meanwhile, Bill Revans, SEND Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said the survey demonstrated strong local authority support for the direction of travel but urged ministers not to "cherry pick" individual reforms. He also called on government to provide greater certainty about how future SEND deficits and unexpected increases in demand will be funded.
The findings come amid continuing national concern about rising SEND demand, increasing EHCP numbers and the growing financial pressures facing local authorities. They also highlight the challenge facing ministers in maintaining confidence in the current system while preparing for one of the most significant overhauls of SEND provision in recent years.
