In February, the government published its plans to reform the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system as part of the ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ white paper. The proposal, titled SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First, set out a vision for a mainstream education system which is inclusive of all children and needs, with a focus on early intervention and individual support plans.  

Autism Unlimited provides specialist education and support through Portfield School, Sixth Form and our Futures programme. Every day, we see the difference that timely support, skilled staff and the right environment can make for autistic children and young people.  

Reform on this scale will shape the future of SEND provision for years to come. It is vital that autistic people, their families and the specialist sector are heard and that reforms are built around real needs, not assumptions. 

That’s why we have submitted a response as part of the consultation period, which closed on the 18th of May 2026.  

The white paper outlines: 

  • a more inclusive mainstream system – with a shift to keeping more children in mainstream settings wherever possible 
  • earlier identification and intervention 
  • new Targeted and Targeted Plus support 
  • Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for children receiving additional help 
  • new “Experts at Hand” models to strengthen specialist input 

Many families will understandably be focused on what these reforms could mean for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The government’s proposals do not remove EHCPs, but they do introduce Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for children receiving Targeted or Targeted Plus support. The intention is to strengthen mainstream provision so that fewer children need to rely on statutory plans to access help.  

However, we urge the government to recognise that any changes must protect children’s legal entitlements, ensure specialist input is not diluted, and avoid creating additional barriers for autistic children and young people who require an EHCP to have their needs met. 

In addition, the government must acknowledge that there will always be a need for specialist schools for some children whose needs cannot be met in mainstream environments, even with adaptation. Specialist, therapeutic and non‑maintained provisions must remain a core part of the SEND landscape. 

While Autism Unlimited welcomes the ambition for inclusion, we raise concerns that this is unlikely to succeed whilst schools are facing workforce pressures and focusing on performance measures.  It’s important that the proposed reform doesn’t become just another layer of process, but is part of meaningful change to culture, incentives and expectations. 

We welcome some of the proposals made in the paper, however, maintain concern around the successful delivery of these without significant investment in specialist workforce capacity, SEND expertise in schools and sustainable implementation planning. 

In response to this proposal, we are calling on the government to:  

  • Recalibrate accountability measures so performance tables and inspection frameworks support inclusion. 
  • Invest in workforce capacity before introducing new delivery models. 
  • Fully utilise specialist and non‑maintained expertise within mainstream settings, inclusion systems and decision‑making. 
  • Ensure funding follows the child, enabling access to the right support across all types of provision. 
  • Strengthen safeguards around Individual Support Plans, ensuring specialist input and clear quality standards. 
  • Establish multidisciplinary placement panels to improve decision-making and reduce tribunals. 
  • Improve early identification through Family Hubs and named key workers. 
  • Make national SEND training practical and ongoing, not one-off or theoretical. 
  • Embed lived experience and specialist practice into evidence development. 
  • Phase reform realistically, avoiding additional pressure on an already overstretched system. 

With consultation on the paper now closed, we wait whilst the government reviews responses received and announces its next step.  

Autism Unlimited will continue to champion the needs of autistic children, young people and their families throughout this process, ensuring that any future legislation or implementation plans reflect real experiences and deliver meaningful change.