SEND Reform White Paper 2026: Our early reflections for local authorities and next steps
Key proposals, consultation timeline, and practical considerations for councils during the transition period.
The Government has published its long-awaited SEND White Paper – and change is coming. Here's what it means, and what Imosphere is doing about it.
Reform is needed - and we welcome it
The Government's white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, sets out a fundamental reform of the SEND system in England. Its principles are ones we have always believed in: early intervention, fairness, transparency, evidence-based decision-making, and consistency across local areas.
These are not new ideas to us. They are the values that have shaped the SEND Genie Toolkit since its inception. The direction of travel in this white paper affirms that local authorities who have already invested in transparent, data-driven, needs-led SEND processes are ahead of the curve and we have been helping councils get there for over 30 years.
We agree that the current SEND system is under unsustainable pressure, and that children and families deserve better. Reform is necessary and we are ready to help our customers navigate it.
What does the SEND Reform white paper 2026 mean for local authorities?
The consultation sets out several significant changes that will affect how local authorities work:
A new layered support model – from Universal provision through to Targeted, Targeted Plus, and Specialist support, with Individual Support Plans (ISPs) replacing much of the current informal documentation at lower tiers.
Revised EHCPs – reserved for children with the most complex needs, developed after Specialist Provision Package decisions have been made, with a standardised and digitised national template.
Nationally defined Specialist Provision Packages – evidence-based packages of support for children with complex needs, replacing much of the bespoke commissioning that drives inconsistency and cost today.
A national funding model – reforms to how top-up and high needs funding flows, with greater transparency, a stronger mainstream inclusion fund, and long-term moves towards pooled funding in school groups.
Stronger accountability – clearer roles for local authorities, settings, and health partners, with Ofsted scrutiny linked to inclusion strategies and ISP quality.
The consultation period runs for 12 weeks until the 18th of May, and final legislation will follow. However, the timeline of reforms will span several years.
What does this mean for local authorities right now?
Significant change is coming, but not overnight. The proposals are out for consultation, and implementation will be phased. Local authorities now need to be thinking about:
- How they will maintain statutory EHCP compliance and quality during a transition period
- How their current funding allocation processes align with the direction toward transparency and needs-based consistency
- How they will adapt workflows when EHCP templates are standardised and digitised
- What data and evidence they will need to demonstrate inclusion outcomes to Ofsted
The pressures you face today, including backlogs, tribunal risk, funding disputes and inconsistency, are not going away during reform. If anything, scrutiny will increase.
Practical guidance on maintaining EHCP quality and decision-making consistency during periods of uncertainty can be found in our analysis on making progress in SEND during uncertain times.
Our commitment to our customers
At Imosphere, we are a small, specialist company that has worked alongside local authority SEND teams for over 30 years. We know that behind every statistic is a child, a family, and a stretched professional doing their best with the resources they have. As policy and legislation change, so do we. Our tools are continually adapted to reflect shifts in law, national guidance and best practice, and we will continue to evolve them as reform progresses.
We want to be clear about where we stand:
We are already aligned with the direction of reform. The white paper's push for transparency, evidence-based decisions, and consistency is exactly what Funding Genie and EHCP Genie were designed to deliver. You are not starting from scratch. Where reform requires change, we will evolve our tools accordingly.
You are in safe hands. If you are already using our SEND tools, you can expect continuity and evolution, not disruption. We are closely tracking reform developments and will adapt our systems in step with legislation, policy and best practice.
We will develop our products with you. As proposals become policy and policy becomes law, we will evolve our tools to meet the new requirements – whether that is supporting digitised EHCP templates, adapting to national funding model changes, or building new capabilities for ISPs and needs-based allocation. We will do this collaboratively, with our customers shaping the roadmap.
We are actively talking to our customers. We are having conversations with local authorities right now to understand what the reform means for them on the ground, to hear what they need, and to shape how our products should respond. If you want to be part of those conversations, we want to hear from you.
On Thursday 19th March, we will be bringing SEND colleagues together in London to explore the practical implications of reform and the priorities local authorities are navigating. If you would like to be part of that discussion, we would be pleased to hear from you. Register to join us below:
Next steps
We are continuing to speak with councils about the practical implications of the SEND Reform White Paper. We will also update this page following our SEND event with the key questions and priorities of councils during this time.
Imosphere – Solutions that put people first in social care and SEND. Working with councils for over 30 years.
Solutions that put people first in social care and SEND.