With confirmation that the next phase of the SEND and AP Improvement Plan has been delayed until 2026, many local authorities are taking stock. For some, the pause offers breathing space. For others, it’s a source of frustration.

Whatever your view, one thing is certain: children can’t wait for reform.

A child or young person is only in the SEND system until the age of 25. Every year spent waiting for systemic change is a year that affects real lives, real progress, and real outcomes.

The cost of waiting

While national frameworks evolve, families are still seeking clarity, consistency, and confidence in the process. Meanwhile, local pressures continue. Requests for EHCPs continue to rise sharply. Educational psychologists and case officers are balancing record workloads.    

Each delay – whether in national policy or local workflow – risks a missed opportunity for the child at the centre of it. A young person who could have thrived in mainstream settings, achieved qualifications, or transitioned to supported employment may simply run out of time.

That’s why waiting for reform isn’t a neutral act; it has a measurable impact on outcomes.

Acting now, ahead of reform

From Imosphere's work with councils across the country, it’s clear that many aren’t waiting for national directives to act. They’re using this period to test, learn, and share what really drives improvement – turning the delay into an opportunity for progress.

We’re seeing a growing community of local authorities focus on three common priorities:

• Reclaiming professional time by automating repetitive EHCP drafting and review tasks – freeing specialists to spend more time with families and schools.
• Embedding consistency and defensibility in funding decisions, ensuring similar needs receive similar support, and reducing challenges from schools.
• Building readiness for reform, not by speculating on future policy, but by strengthening the fundamentals – timeliness, quality, and transparency.

Our partner councils are leading this change and already seeing measurable gains in EHCP turnaround times and plan quality, alongside greater confidence among parents and schools. Just as importantly, they’re learning from one another – forming an informal network of practice around smarter, fairer SEND delivery.

This isn’t about replacing reform. It’s about being ready for it – and ensuring children in the system today benefit from the progress being made right now.

A moment for local leadership

This pause in national reform is giving local leaders a rare opportunity to shape what comes next, rather than simply respond to it. The councils making the most of this moment are using evidence and shared insight to redesign how support is delivered, measured, and improved.

They’re focusing on sustainable systems, not short-term fixes, investing in data, consistency, and collaboration so that future reforms build on solid ground. They’re also creating a shared sense of accountability: recognising that better outcomes depend as much on collective learning across authorities as on new policy from Westminster.

Through our work with this growing community of SEND leaders, we’re seeing how practical innovation can ripple across teams, improving confidence, reducing friction, and giving every child a stronger chance to thrive.

Reform may be delayed, but the opportunity for progress isn’t.

‍Imosphere has been innovating with councils for over 30 years to deliver faster, fairer, and more transparent SEND decisions through the SEND Genie Toolkit.

Speak with our experts to learn how other councils are strengthening processes ahead of reform.

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