Help us shape our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Local Area Reform Plan

We are developing a Local Area SEND Reform Plan.

This plan will set out:

• our shared vision for SEND
• what needs to change across education, health and care
• what we will do differently as a system
• what will improve outcomes and experiences for children, young people and families

This is about designing our local SEND system together rather than individual cases.

Your views will directly shape:

• our SEND vision and priorities
• how inclusion works in practice
• how support is provided early and locally
• how we work with families and children
• how the SEND system is led and held to account

How are seeking your views

Between now and 8 May, we will be sharing information about the plans, and asking for feedback during meetings, and when talking to children, parents and staff.

Group discussions and feedback will be used alongside survey feedback.

The national picture

The Government is changing how SEND support works across England. These national reforms focus on supporting children and young people earlier, improving inclusion in mainstream settings, and making sure education, health and care services work better together. Local areas are expected to start planning now, even though the final legislation is still being developed.

Every local area, including County Durham, must produce a Local SEND Reform Plan. This sets out priorities for improvement and how partners will work together in future. The plan will be reviewed by the Department for Education and used to support discussions about national support and funding. Developing a strong plan helps make sure local priorities are understood and that County Durham is well placed to improve SEND support for families.