SEND Reform 2026: What It Means for Your Child's EHCP

What Has Actually Been Announced?

In February 2026, the government published its Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving. The paper introduces the most significant changes to SEN support in England since the Children and Families Act 2014. Here are the key changes:

• A new three-tier support system — Universal, Targeted, and Specialist support replaces the current structure
• Individual Support Plans (ISPs) — Every child with additional needs will have an ISP from September 2029, a digital record accessible to both teachers and parents
• EHCPs are not being abolished — they remain for children with the most complex needs
• But EHCPs will be reviewed from 2029 — the government expects around 1 in 8 current EHCP holders to transition to an ISP between 2030 and 2035
• No changes before September 2030 — the reforms will not affect your child's current EHCP before that date
• A 12-week public consultation is open now

What is an Individual Support Plan (ISP)?

The ISP is a new digital record that every school, nursery, and college will be legally required to create for every child with SEND. It will record:

• Your child's specific needs
• What day-to-day support they will receive
• How that support will be delivered
• Regular review points

An ISP is not the same as an EHCP. It does not carry the same legal weight. It does not bind the local authority to provide named provision. And crucially, it does not give you the same rights to appeal to the SEND Tribunal if the support is inadequate.

Will My Child Lose Their EHCP?

This is the question every SEND parent is asking. The honest answer is: it depends, and not until 2030 at the earliest.

The government has promised a "triple lock" of transitional protections:

1. Every child with a special school place in 2029 keeps it if they want it until they finish education
2. Transitions from EHCP to ISP will only begin from 2030, as children naturally move between phases (e.g. primary to secondary)
3. An ISP will be in place before any EHCP is removed, so there is no break in support

However — and this is critical — an ISP provides weaker legal protection than an EHCP. If your child's needs are significant, complex, or disputed by the LA, you want to be in the strongest possible legal position. That means having a robust, up-to-date, legally compliant EHCP right now.

Should I Apply for an EHCP Now?

If your child has unmet needs and you have been considering applying for an EHCP, yes — apply now. Here is why:

• The current EHCP process gives you stronger legal rights than the proposed ISP system
• An EHCP already in place provides a much stronger basis for protection under the 2030 transition rules
• LA budgets are under increasing pressure — securing provision before system-wide changes is strategically important
• The consultation period gives advocates like us the opportunity to formally push back on weaknesses in the proposals

What If the LA Refuses My EHCP Application?

Refusals have not gone away. In fact, with reform on the horizon, some local authorities may become more cautious about issuing new EHCPs. If you have received a refusal — either to assess or to issue an EHCP — you have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal.

The appeal process is governed by the Children and Families Act 2014. The law has not changed. Your rights have not changed. And the First-tier Tribunal (SEN and Disability) upholds parents in the majority of cases where appeals are properly prepared.

How to Protect Your Child's Position Right Now

Here is my practical advice as a former Headteacher and SENCo who has sat on both sides of this process:

1. Review your child's current EHCP — is Section B (needs) specific and detailed enough? Is Section F (provision) quantified and specified? Vague EHCPs are far more vulnerable to being reclassified under new criteria.
2. Gather and update evidence — professional reports, school assessments, and parental evidence. The stronger the evidence base, the harder it is for an LA to argue your child's needs don't require an EHCP.
3. Respond to the consultation — the 12-week consultation is open. Your family's experience matters. Every response helps shape the final legislation.
4. Get expert support — navigating these changes alone is difficult. An experienced EHCP consultant can audit your child's current plan and identify any vulnerabilities before the 2030 transition window opens.

Frequently Asked Questions