Families across England know that getting the right support for a child with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) can feel like an uphill battle. This week, that reality was acknowledged in Parliament, as a cross-party group of MPs urged the government to increase and protect funding for SEND to match the growing level of need in schools.
With more than 1.7 million children now identified as having special educational needs, the pressure on schools, councils and families is rising fast.
So what is being proposed – and what could it mean for parents?
A SEND System Under Strain
The group of MPs, largely from Labour but including voices from across Parliament, warned that the current SEND system is financially unsustainable without further investment.
They called on the government to:
- Align SEND funding with real levels of need
- Ensure school budgets are inflation-proofed
- Protect early intervention funding so children get help sooner
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is currently preparing a major reform of SEND provision in England, with a policy paper expected soon.
While the government says it is increasing school funding by £1.7bn in 2026–27, MPs and analysts warn that this rise may be outweighed by soaring SEND costs.
Why Funding Alone Isn’t the Whole Answer
Public spending on high-needs SEND provision has already risen sharply – from £7.5bn in 2016 to £12bn in 2025, a real-terms increase of 66%.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the government now faces three difficult choices:
- Increase education funding further
- Reform the system to slow SEND spending growth
- Cut spending elsewhere
None of these options is politically or practically easy.
For parents, this creates understandable anxiety. Many worry that “reform” could mean less support, stricter assessments, or changes to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
Parents’ Fears: Will Support Be Reduced?
EHCPs are legal documents that guarantee tailored support for children with higher needs. MPs say scrapping or weakening them would risk a serious backlash from families.
Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan summed up the concern clearly:
Any reform must be about making the system better for children – not about saving money.
This reflects a wider fear among parents: that cost pressures, rather than children’s needs, could drive decisions.
Early Support and Inclusion: A Different Approach
Some MPs argue that the system’s biggest problem isn’t the total amount of money – but how it’s spent.
Labour MP Jen Craft, herself a parent of a child with an EHCP, believes:
- Earlier intervention could stop needs from escalating
- More inclusive mainstream schools could reduce reliance on expensive specialist placements
- Local authority funding disparities must be addressed
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on SEND (APPG) has also called for:
- A national SEND workforce plan
- More investment in early years support
- Ringfenced budgets to ensure SEND funding is actually spent on SEND
What This Means for Parents Right Now
For families, the key takeaways are:
- Reform is coming – all major parties agree the SEND system needs change
- MPs are actively warning against reforms that reduce support
- Parents’ voices are being recognised as crucial to getting this right
- Early intervention and inclusion are likely to be central themes
As one MP put it, ministers are currently “in listening mode”. That means parental feedback, advocacy and lived experience may play a bigger role than ever in shaping what happens next.
Looking Ahead
The Department for Education says its reforms will focus on better outcomes for children, including:
- SEND training for all teachers
- 50,000 new specialist school places
- Support delivered earlier and closer to home
For parents, the months ahead will be important. Changes to SEND funding and provision have the potential to either ease pressures on families – or make an already complex system harder to navigate.
At Walnut Learning, we’ll continue to break down these developments clearly and practically, so parents can stay informed and confident when advocating for their children.