The Government published its long awaited SEND and alternative provision improvement plan on 2 March 2023 – you can find it on the DfE website here. You can find both the full report “SEND and alternative provision improvement plan: right support, right place, right time” and the “SEND and alternative provision roadmap” on this page.
The NGA, who contributed to the consultation, have broadly welcomed the report (see their comments here), but note that there needs to be a lot more funding made available for the plan to succeed.
There is a useful summary of what the plan includes on the Council for Disabled Children website here. Their director, Dame Christine Lenehan, notes “It will be vital to provide strengthened accountability routes and to continue to focus on the improved experiences of children and families to ensure outcomes are met.”
The NEU has also welcomed the plan, but is more critical of certain elements, as noted on their website here. Like the NGA they are concerned that the funding is not enough, and they also point out the long wait times in the system for getting an EHC plan in place. NASWUT do not yet have any comments on their website, but no doubt they will do in due course.
Nasen (the National Association for Special Educational Needs) also focus on the EHC process, commenting that although there are elements aimed at streamlining and speeding up the process, but that it doesn’t yet go far enough – you can read their comments here.
Finally, the Education Policy Institute also welcomed the plan, but is rather critical as well, stating that “they fall short of being transformational” – see their response on their website here.
dsga.org.uk 