The SEND White Paper consultation has closed. It opened alongside “Every Child Achieving and Thriving” and closed on 18 May 2026, after running for nearly three months with 39 questions hosted on Citizen Space.
If you responded, thank you. Every honest account of what the SEND system looks like from a kitchen table is now part of the evidence base the government has to weigh. If you didn’t get the chance, the window has passed, but this is not the last word. The detail of the new system has yet to be written, and there will be more chances to shape it.
Here’s what the consultation asked, what happens to your responses now, and how to stay involved.
The consultation closed on 18 May 2026. You can no longer submit a response. This page now covers what the consultation set out to do and what comes next, rather than how to respond.
What the consultation asked
The consultation sat underneath the SEND White Paper, the government’s plan to replace Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) with a new system called Individual Support Plans (ISPs). Its 39 questions covered the areas where the reform is still undecided.
Assessment and identification. How children’s needs should be identified and assessed under the new ISP system, and whether statutory timescales like the current 20 weeks should carry over.
The Triple Lock. Whether the proposed legal protections, the right to support, the right to appeal, and the duty to deliver named provision, are strong enough to carry the same legal weight EHCPs do now.
Mainstream inclusion. Whether more children should be supported in mainstream schools, and what funding and training schools would need to make that real.
Transition. How existing EHCPs should move across to ISPs without families losing provision part-way through.
These were exactly the questions where parent experience mattered most, because they are the points the legislation still has to settle.
What happens to your responses now
Government consultations are not box-ticking exercises. Responses are read, analysed, and counted, and they are cited in the policy documents that follow. Here is the route from here.
- Analysis - The department reads and codes every response, looking for the weight of opinion on each question
- Government response - It publishes a formal response summarising what it heard and how that shapes its plans
- Legislation - New law is drafted based on the consultation, expected across 2027 to 2028
- Detail and rollout - ISPs begin for new assessments from September 2029, with existing EHCPs transitioning from September 2030
The last major SEND consultation, on the 2022 Green Paper, drew over 6,000 responses, and parent voices were cited repeatedly in the government’s reply. The strength of parent feedback this time will shape how hard it is to water down the protections families depend on.
There is no fixed date for the government’s response. On past reforms it has taken several months, so a reply later in 2026 would be in keeping with how these processes usually run. The important thing is that the analysis stage is where the weight of what parents said is counted, so a strong response now carries through into the drafting that follows.
What this means for your family right now
Nothing about your child’s current rights has changed, and nothing changes for years. Until the new law is in force, the Children and Families Act 2014 remains fully in effect.
- If your child needs an EHCP, apply. The current process and your appeal rights are unchanged.
- If your child’s EHCP isn’t being delivered, challenge it. The legal duty on your LA is exactly as it was.
- If the LA is missing statutory deadlines, escalate. None of that waits on the White Paper.
The reform is a statement of intent, not a change to the law. Your child’s needs are now, and the system that protects them is still the one you already know. If you are unsure where to start, our guide on how to request an EHC needs assessment walks through the current process step by step.
How to stay involved
The consultation is closed, but the reform is far from finished. The detail of the ISP framework, the assessment process, and the transition arrangements all have to be worked out, and that work will bring further opportunities to be heard.
IPSEA is monitoring the reform and publishes parent-friendly analysis as each stage develops.
Your local SENDIASS can explain what the proposals mean for your child’s specific situation and support you with current EHCP applications and reviews.
Special Needs Jungle publishes detailed, question-by-question policy analysis and will follow the government response and the legislation as it moves.
When the government publishes its response and the draft legislation appears, watch for fresh consultations on the detail. That is where the next round of parent voice will count.
Read next
For the full picture of what the White Paper proposes and the timeline behind it, see The SEND White Paper: What It Means for Your Family.
How our free tool can help
The AI assistant at SEND Parents Help can explain the White Paper proposals, walk you through how the current EHCP system works, and help you understand what the changes might mean for your family. Describe your situation and ask what the proposals could mean for you.
Sources and further reading
Legislation and official guidance
- Every Child Achieving and Thriving: SEND White Paper (full White Paper)
- SEND White Paper consultation (Citizen Space consultation page, closed 18 May 2026)
- SEND Code of Practice (current statutory guidance)