Policy work Schools White Paper: what you need to know Briefing for MPs: how SEND reform proposals would impact children and young people’s legal rights We have shared a briefing with MPs explaining how the Government’s proposals to reform the system that supports children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) could affect their existing legal rights. The Government published its SEND reform proposals in a Schools White Paper on 23 February, with a public consultation running until 18 May 2026. Our legal and policy team has reviewed the proposals and prepared a briefing to help MPs understand what the reforms could mean for families in their constituencies. What the briefing explains The briefing outlines: the current rights-based framework for supporting children and young people with SEND the key reform proposals set out by the Government how these proposals could affect important legal protections relied on by families It also raises a number of questions for ministers about how the proposed system would work. Key issues highlighted in the briefing Our analysis suggests the SEND reform proposals could risk weakening several important legal rights, including: The right to provision based on a child’s individual needs, if support is instead delivered through nationally determined Specialist Provision Packages (SPPs). The right to legally enforceable provision, as children potentially move from legally binding Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans to Individual Support Plans (ISPs) that appear to have no enforcement mechanism. The right to an EHC needs assessment and plan, with unclear thresholds and eligibility restricted to children with undefined “complex needs”. The right for parents to request and secure a specific school placement, with greater scope for local authorities to refuse a requested placement on cost grounds, and the removal of the SEND Tribunal’s power to name a school or college. The right to provision for children and young people outside mainstream settings, including children receiving education other than at school (EOTAS), young people in post-16 training, and those in alternative provision or youth custody Download the full MP briefing Write to your MP If you are concerned about how the Government’s proposals could affect children and young people with SEND, you can write to your MP to explain why protecting SEND legal rights matters. We have created a template letter that you can use and personalise with your own experiences. Write to your MP using our template letter Related information If you would like to understand the Government’s proposals in more detail, you can also read: Schools White Paper: what you need to know IPSEA is also working with partners through the Save Our Children’s Rights campaign to protect the legal rights of children and young people with SEND. Visit the Save Our Children’s Rights campaign page Manage Cookie Preferences