Helpful Notes About the SEND Reform Questions

(This question is on page 4 of the consultation.)

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 5 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

(This question is on page 5 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

(This question is on page 5 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 5 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

(This question is on page 6 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

(This question is on page 6 of the consultation.)

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

(This question is on page 6 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 7 of the consultation.)

What this means: The “National Inclusion Standards” will be the Government’s rules for what support every mainstream school should offer. What are the most important areas where schools need guidance and evidence on how to support children?

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 7 of the consultation.)

What this means: When teachers and school staff are trained on special educational needs, what are the most important things they need to learn about?

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 8 of the consultation.)

What this means: The Government has proposed ISPs as a new way of writing down the support your child needs. It isn’t an education, health and care plan (also known as an EHCP). Schools are legally required to create these plans for all children who need additional support, and Ofsted will inspect schools on their plans. But what’s in the plan won’t be legally enforceable in the way that EHCPs currently are. The plans also won’t be as difficult to get. EHCPs will continue to exist for children with the most ‘complex’ needs, the Government has said. Question 15 asks what would give families “assurance” that an ISP is “high quality”. They are asking: What needs to be done so that you trust the school will do what it says?

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 8 of the consultation.)

What this means: “Transition” means moving from one stage of life to another (for example, from secondary school to a job). “Post-16 provision” means college, apprenticeships, or sixth form. How can we make it easier and less stressful for young people to move from secondary school into college or the workplace?

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 9 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

(This question is on page 9 of the consultation.)

What this means: The Government wants to put Experts at Hand (specialists like speech and language therapists or educational psychologists) into mainstream schools. To make this work, how do the local council, the NHS, and the schools need to work together?

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 10 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

(This question is on page 10 of the consultation.)

What this means: “Specialist Provision Packages” will be a new way of grouping the support a child gets if they have an EHCP. How should these packages be put together so they actually help children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 10 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 10 of the consultation.)

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 10 of the consultation.)

What this means: When the local council is doing a statutory assessment to decide what help your child needs, whose advice should they listen to and what evidence should they consider? 

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 11 of the consultation.)

What this means: “LAs” are local authorities (your local council). A “setting” is a school, nursery or college. When the council gives a family a list of schools they think a child should go to, what things should they be looking at to make sure those schools are actually suitable?

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

(This question is on page 11 of the consultation.)

What this means: When families are trying to choose a school, nursery or college for their child, what help, advice, or information do they need to make the best choice?

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 11 of the consultation.)

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 13 of the consultation.)

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.

(This question is on page 14 of the consultation.)

What this means: This is a general question at the end of the form. It’s your opportunity to include something you want the government to know, but haven’t had the chance to say yet. Is there anything else you want to tell the government about how to fix the SEND system that hasn’t been covered? Speech & Language UK, Ed Yourself and National Autistic Society raised a few good points that that weren’t asked about in the consultation’s first 38 questions. Please see the links below and see if you want to keep those points in mind when answering this question.

You may want to read:

If you have a child who struggles with talking and understanding words, you can read Speech and Language UK’s guide to answering the government consultation.

If you have an autistic child, please read National Autistic Society’s guide to answering the SEND Reform consultation.

If you have an adoptive or care-experienced child, please read Adoption UK’s guide to responding to the government consultation.

If your child accesses EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School), you can read Ed Yourself’s notes about the SEND Reform, which may prove more relevant to your family.

If, other than being a parent/carer to a child with SEND, you also work in/with an Education setting or the Local Authority, you may find Music Mark’s resource helpful.