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National SEND Reforms: what this means for families in Hertfordshire

 

We know that changes to SEND services can feel worrying and sometimes confusing for families. There is a lot of information about national reforms and local plans, and it is not always clear how these fit together. This page aims to explain what is changing, what is staying the same, and how we are continuing to support families in Hertfordshire.

What are the National SEND Reforms?

The government is reviewing how support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is delivered across England, with planned national reforms to create a clearer and fairer system. These changes aim to improve access to support, strengthen early help, and ensure services work better together across education, health and care.

While these reforms are being developed, there are no changes to current SEND law, and children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will continue to receive the support set out in their plans.  Before any changes to SEND law can happen, there are several steps the government must complete. Because of this, we expect changes to the law to happen no earlier than 2029. 

Hertfordshire's SEND Strategy 2026-29

Hertfordshire has its own strategy for 2026-29 which sets out what we want to improve locally over the next 3 years.  The strategy was developed in partnership with colleagues across health, education and social care, and was co-produced with parents, carers, children and young people.  It focuses on improving outcomes and experiences for children and young people with SEND and their families.

We are delivering this strategy through 3 key plans:

SEND Strategy Action Plan 2026-29

This plan sets out the actions we are taking to deliver our SEND Strategy.  It was launched in Spring 2026, before the national reforms were proposed, and already focuses on many of the same priorities - such as early support and joined-up services.

What this means for families with SEND

Schools and settings will be better supported to be more inclusive for children and young people with SEND and education staff will have better access to specialist support and training. 

Professionals will work more closely together to help identify and respond to children's needs earlier and put support in place as soon as possible. 

We will develop new ways of engaging and listening to parents and use their feedback to help shape and improve services. 

If your child has an EHCP, they will continue to receive the support set out in their plan. 

SEND Reform Plan
Jul 2026 - Mar 2029

We were asked by the Department for Education to submit a plan showing how we will respond to the national SEND reforms.  Our local Draft SEND Reform Plan (with relevant appendices) was submitted on 19 June 2026 and we are currently awaiting feedback.  It sets out how we will meet the expectations of the first phase of national reforms and continue to improve local services.  Many of the actions in this plan were already included in our SEND Strategy.   

Our SEND Reform Plan does not set out changes to legislation: these are determined by central government and won't take place until at least 2029.

What this means for families with SEND

The national SEND reforms will come into effect over the next few years. 

Some of the proposed changes will start taking place as early as September 26. We will start to design and recruit staff for the Experts at Hand model and improve access to specialist advice to support mainstream schools and settings. 

Other changes related to SEND Reform which are proposed at a national level (including any changes to SEND law) are not part of our local Reform Plan, and are likely to take much longer. If your child has an EHCP, they will continue to receive the support set out in their plan.  

SEND Provision Plan 2026-29

Our SEND Provision Plan focuses on strengthening support available locally, particularly within mainstream education.  It has been developed with families, schools, health partners and over 400 children and young people. The plan focuses on earlier help for children and young people, enhancing the support available through mainstream schools, and increasing specialist provision where it is needed by creating 1,150 new specialist places by 2029.

What this means for families with SEND

As schools and settings become more inclusive, we want families to feel confident that children and young people will get the help they need in their local mainstream school.

For those with more complex needs, there will be specialist support available. We will create more places in special schools, as well as increasing specialist capacity in mainstream schools, through SRPs and new SEND units.  We will make placement decisions based on your child's needs and strengths, moving away from the existing admissions guidance so that decisions are more individualised and child-centred.

And when it’s time to move on after school, there will be more local options for college or training.

How this all fits together

Although the national SEND reforms are still being finalised, Hertfordshire is already making improvements through the 3 action plans in our SEND Strategy.  Our local vision closely aligns with the direction of the national reforms, with a shared focus on improving outcomes and support for children and young people with SEND.

This means:

  • We are improving services now and not waiting for national changes
  • Our local plans are aligned with future reforms
  • Support for children and young people will continue throughout and you do not need to do anything as a result of these changes
  • Tribunal appeals will be unaffected

Your child or young person will continue to receive support while these improvements are put in place.

How will these plans be affected by Local Government Reform (LGR)?

Alongside the national reforms, the government has also set out plans for wider local government reform across England. The Government has asked the 11 council leaders in Hertfordshire to work together and come up with a joint plan for how local government could be reshaped to better serve our communities.  

In November 2025, Hertfordshire’s 11 councils, along with the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, jointly submitted three unitary model proposals for the Government to consider.

The Government have reviewed the proposed models and on 16 July 2026 they announced that Hertfordshire will be reorganised into 4 unitary authorities.   

At this stage:

  • there are no immediate changes to how SEND services are delivered in Hertfordshire
  • support for children and young people will continue as it is now

We are working closely with partners to understand any future changes and to make sure that:

  • services remain joined up across education, health and care
  • support for families is consistent and easy to access
  • improvements set out in our SEND Strategy continue

We will share more information on this as soon as we are able to. 

Contact us

If you have any questions about our SEND Strategy, or national SEND reforms and how these might affect your child, contact us: 

sendstrategy@hertfordshire.gov.uk