On 23 February 2026, the government published “Every Child Achieving and Thriving”, its long-awaited SEND White Paper. If you have a child with SEND, you’ve probably seen the headlines. Some of them are alarming.
The truth is more nuanced than most coverage suggests. For your family, the White Paper means this: nothing changes right now. The plan to replace EHCPs with Individual Support Plans (ISPs) does not begin until at least September 2029, and every existing EHCP right stays exactly as it is until then. If your child needs an EHCP, apply now. Don’t wait.
Below is what the White Paper actually says, what it means for your family, and what you should do right now.
The headline changes
The White Paper sets out a new model for how children with SEND receive support. The biggest change is a new legal duty on every school, nursery and college to draw up an Individual Support Plan (ISP) for every child with SEND, alongside a narrower role for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
The White Paper proposes that ISPs would become the plan every child with SEND has, with EHCPs kept but restricted to children who need a Specialist Provision Package - support more intensive than a mainstream setting can routinely provide - rather than abolishing EHCPs outright. If the legislation goes ahead, this would begin for new assessments from September 2029, with existing EHCPs starting to transition no earlier than September 2030. The government says the shift is about making support available faster and reducing the need for families to fight through lengthy assessment processes. Whether the new system delivers on that promise will depend on the detail, which hasn’t been published yet.
The Triple Lock
One of the most important parts of the White Paper is the “Triple Lock” - the government’s name for three transitional safeguards, designed so no child loses support they already have while the system changes.
- Special school places protected - Any child with a special school place in September 2029 can keep it, if they want it, until they finish their education
- Transition timing protected - Children in mainstream who’d be better supported by an ISP won’t move across before September 2030, and even then only at a natural transition point, like moving from primary to secondary school
- No gap in support - An ISP will be in place before a child moves off an EHCP, so support doesn’t stop while the system changes
These three protections are about the switch from EHCPs to ISPs. They aren’t a guarantee about what an ISP itself delivers once it’s in place - the government hasn’t yet set out how an ISP’s day-to-day support would be enforced if a school didn’t provide it.
The Triple Lock protects children already receiving support while the system changes; it doesn’t, on its own, tell you whether an ISP will carry the same legal weight as an EHCP. IPSEA has raised this as a serious open question: a school’s duty to draw up an ISP isn’t the same as a child’s right to receive specified provision, and it isn’t yet clear how an ISP would be enforced if a school didn’t deliver it. That’s the detail campaigners are pushing hardest to get right as the legislation is drafted.
What changes from EHCPs to ISPs
The White Paper doesn’t publish the full ISP framework yet. But based on what it does say, here are the key differences being proposed.
| EHCPs (current) | ISPs (proposed) | |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment timeline | 20-week statutory process | Faster assessment (details TBC) |
| Who creates it | LA-led with health and care input | Multi-agency from the start |
| Legal enforceability | Sections B, F, I appealable to Tribunal | Not yet defined - concerns route via an updated school complaints process, not Tribunal appeal |
| Mainstream inclusion | Named placement in plan | Stronger emphasis on mainstream support |
| Funding model | Individual plan-based | Mix of banded funding and plan-based |
The push towards mainstream inclusion is a key theme. The White Paper argues that too many children are placed in specialist settings not because they need them, but because mainstream schools lack the resources to support them. Additional funding is proposed to change this.
The investment
The White Paper comes with a headline figure of approximately four billion pounds in additional investment over three years from 2026-27. This covers new funding for mainstream schools to build SEND capacity, training for teachers and Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), and improvements to specialist provision where it’s genuinely needed.
Whether this amount is enough will depend on how it’s distributed and over what timeframe. The current system is under severe strain, with assessment backlogs, tribunal appeal rates at record levels, and many LAs effectively bankrupt from SEND spending. Four billion over several years may not be enough to fix all of that.
The timeline
Nothing changes immediately. The White Paper sets out a phased timeline.
- ConsultationThe 39-question consultation ran from 23 February to 18 May 2026 and is now closed.
- Legislation draftedThe Education for All Bill was named in the King’s Speech (May 2026) and will be drafted based on consultation responses.
- ISP system beginsNew ISPs start for new assessments. EHCPs continue for existing holders.
- EHCP transitions beginExisting EHCPs begin transitioning to ISPs in a phased rollout.
- Full transitionAll children moved to the ISP system. Gradual transition period 2030-2035; EHCP numbers expected to stabilise by 2035.
The earliest any change takes effect is September 2029. That’s over three years away. And even then, existing EHCPs won’t transition until at least September 2030.
Why you should still apply for an EHCP now
This is the single most important message in this article. If your child needs an EHCP, apply now. Don’t wait.
Nothing in the White Paper changes your current rights. EHCPs remain in force, the 20-week assessment timeline still applies, and your right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal is unchanged. Waiting for ISPs could mean years without the support your child needs.
The White Paper explicitly states that existing EHCPs will be honoured during the transition period. Children with EHCPs will not lose their plans overnight. The transition will be phased and managed.
If your child is struggling now, the EHCP process is the route to legally enforceable support. Applying now means your child gets help sooner, not later.
What to watch for
The White Paper is a statement of intent, not legislation. Several critical questions remain unanswered:
- How will ISPs be assessed, and will there be statutory timescales like the current 20 weeks?
- Will schools receive the funding and training before ISPs are introduced, or after?
- Will Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) actually deliver their part, given current NHS pressures?
- What happens to children mid-EHCP when ISPs arrive, and will provision continue uninterrupted?
- Will the SEND Tribunal retain its current scope, or will appeal rights be narrowed?
The consultation was the place to raise these concerns. It closed on 18 May 2026, and the government is now analysing responses before drafting legislation. Our guide on the consultation and what happens next covers where things go from here.
Getting help
IPSEA is monitoring the White Paper closely and will publish detailed analysis as the proposals develop. Their helpline (0300 222 5899) remains available for advice on current EHCP rights.
Your local SENDIASS can help you understand what the White Paper means for your child’s specific situation and support you with EHCP applications and reviews.
Special Needs Jungle publishes detailed policy analysis aimed at parents and will be covering the consultation and legislation as it develops. In the meantime, if your child needs a plan now, our guide on how to request an EHC needs assessment walks through the current process.
The system is changing, but not yet
The White Paper signals real change. But change takes years in the SEND system. Your child’s needs are now.
If your child needs an EHCP, apply. If your child’s EHCP isn’t being delivered, challenge it. If the LA is missing deadlines, escalate. None of that changes because of a White Paper.
Now the consultation has closed and legislation begins to take shape, we’ll cover every development. But today, the law that protects your child is the Children and Families Act 2014, and it remains fully in force.