Harrow SEND Reform Plan 2026 to 2029: submission, endorsement and next steps (cabinet report)

Section 1 – Summary and Recommendations

Cabinet is asked to note the submission to the DfE of Lb of Harrow’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Reform plan and endorse the strategic direction, governance arrangements and implementation approach set out within the plan.

The Harrow SEND Reform Plan 2026–2029 sets out the borough’s coordinated response to the national SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) reform programme and brings together SEND improvement activity already underway across education, health and care. Developed through extensive partnership working with children, young people, families and stakeholders, the Plan provides a single framework for delivery, governance and accountability, with a focus on improving outcomes, strengthening inclusion, improving local sufficiency and supporting long-term sustainability.

The Reform plan was submitted to the Department for Education in June 2026 in line with national requirements and forms an important component of Harrow’s wider programme of system reform and improvement.

Recommendations: Cabinet is requested to:

• Note the submission of Harrow’s Local SEND Reform plan to the Department for

Education in response to the Department for Education and NHS England commission.

• Endorse the overall strategic direction, governance framework and implementation

approach set out within the SEND Reform Plan 2026–2029.

• Endorse the proposed governance and accountability arrangements for delivery of

the SEND Reform Plan, including oversight through the Cradle to Career Strategic Board and the SEND and AP Partnership Board.

• Accept the £2.1m SEND Reform Experts at Hand and SEND Transformation Fund

allocations provided by the Department for Education to support SEND reform and improvement activity.

• Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Children’s Services, following

consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, to approve and oversee the deployment of the funding in accordance with local priorities, and Department for Education reform requirements.

• Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Children’s Services, following

consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, to approve the Local Area Partnership Road Map/Mobilisation plan for the next three years, set out in section 5 of the SEND Reform plan, appended.

• Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Children’s Services, following

consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, to make any further amendments required by the Department for Education or NHS England during the implementation phase of the programme.

Reason: (for recommendations)

To ensure a clear, coordinated and partnership-led response to national SEND and Alternative Provision reform.

To strengthen outcomes for children and young people with SEND through a coherent programme of system-wide improvement.

To provide clarity, assurance and accountability for partners, families and elected Members regarding delivery of the reform programme.

To support implementation of Harrow’s submitted SEND Reform Plan and associated improvement activity.

To meet Department for Education requirements associated with SEND Reform and support eligibility for the High Needs Stability Grant and associated reform funding arrangements.

To enable timely, coordinated and partnership-led deployment of SEND Reform funding in accordance with national expectations and local priorities.

Section 2 – Report

• This report introduces Harrow’s SEND Reform Plan and seeks Cabinet

endorsement of the strategic approach, governance arrangements and implementation programme following submission of the Plan to the Department for Education in June 2026.

• The Reform plan sets out how the Council, working with education,

health and care partners, will deliver sustained improvement to SEND services and outcomes for children and young people aged 0–25 through a coordinated programme of reform focused on inclusion, early intervention, sufficiency, partnership working and long-term sustainability. The expenditure will be overseen through the Cradle to Career Strategic Board, informed by recommendations from the SEND and AP Partnership Board, with governance arrangements aligned to local priorities, partnership delivery plans and Department for Education expectations for reform implementation.

• The SEND Reform Plan has been developed through a structured

programme of partnership working, including a number of task and finish groups established to take forward specific reform priorities such as data and assurance, workforce development, inclusion and sufficiency. It has been produced as a shared, co-produced piece of work, informed by engagement with children and young people, parents and carers, schools and settings, health partners, social care and the voluntary and community sector.

• The Reform plan was submitted to the Department for Education in

June 2026 in response to the Department for Education and NHS England SEND Reform Programme. As recognised within the national programme, the SEND Reform Plan remains a live and evolving document. Further refinement will continue through implementation planning, partnership governance arrangements, ongoing engagement activity and future updates to delivery milestones, measures and evidence as the programme progresses.

• The SEND Reform Plan supports the Council’s Corporate Plan priorities:
• A council that puts residents first
• A borough that is clean and safe
• A place where those most in need are supported
• The Reform plan aligns with Harrow’s SEND and Alternative Provision

Strategy and reflects the current national direction of travel for SEND and Alternative Provision reform.

• The Local Area Partnership has set out a 3-year Road Map with high

level priorities and actions. The DfE expect that all Road Maps will be iterative with changes and variations across the initial 3-year programme.

• National reform proposals focus on a number of core building blocks for

system improvement, including stronger early intervention and inclusive mainstream provision, clearer and more timely routes to specialist support, improved preparation for adulthood, strengthened partnership accountability, and greater use of data, intelligence and financial sustainability to drive improvement. Harrow’s SEND Reform Plan is structured around these principles whilst remaining grounded in local need, local intelligence and partnership priorities.

Options considered

• Option 1: Continue existing SEND improvement activity without a formalised Reform Plan – Rejected

Whilst a wide range of SEND improvement activity is already underway, the absence of a single agreed Reform plan would limit clarity, coherence and accountability across the system. It would also weaken Harrow’s ability to demonstrate the systemic reform, partnership leadership and long-term sustainability required by the Department for Education as part of the national SEND Reform Programme and associated High Needs financial support arrangements.

• Option 2: Endorse and implement the SEND Reform Plan – Recommended

This option brings together existing reform activity within a clear strategic framework, strengthens governance and oversight, and provides transparency for partners, families and Members. The Reform plan was submitted to the Department for Education on 19 June as required and provides a coherent framework for implementation, monitoring and continuous improvement over the period 2026–2029. Endorsing the Reform plan will support delivery of a coordinated programme of reform focused on inclusion, early intervention, sufficiency, partnership working and financial sustainability, whilst

ensuring Harrow can demonstrate a credible and deliverable approach to SEND reform aligned with national expectations. This remains an important component of the Council’s wider strategy for addressing High Needs Block pressures and securing available government support.

• Option 3: Delay implementation pending further review or development – Rejected

Delaying implementation would risk loss of momentum, duplication of effort and reduced confidence across the partnership. It would also delay the benefits anticipated through the reform programme, including improved outcomes for children and young people, strengthened inclusion, enhanced local sufficiency and greater financial sustainability.

As the Reform plan has now been submitted to the Department for Education, the priority is to move into implementation and delivery through the agreed governance arrangements, whilst continuing to refine elements of the programme through ongoing engagement, performance monitoring and continuous improvement.

Background Current situation

• On 9 March 2026, the DfE/Nhse issued a joint commission for Local

SEND Reform Plans, with local authorities to act as system conveners bringing partners together to develop and deliver a single, area-wide plan. As part of this shift, local areas must complete a Local Area Maturity Matrix across seven pillars to evidence readiness and inform the Reform plan.

• In Harrow, the partnership has worked together to co-produce and

submit the Local SEND Reform Plan to the Department for Education in June 2026.

• Subject to approval of a Local SEND Reform Plan, a local authority with

a SEND deficit will be eligible in 2026–27 to receive a High Needs Stability Grant covering up to 90% of their High Needs-related Dsg deficit accrued up to the end of 2025–26. Harrow's forecast deficit is £28.7m, equating to a potential grant of £25.9m.

• Payments will be made from Autumn 2026 for local authorities whose

local area plans are approved in the first round of assessment. Where a local authority's plan does not meet the threshold for approval, the authority will be required to revise and improve the plan, with continued support from advisers, to ensure the Reform plan meets the required standard. Where revised plans meet the required approval threshold, payments will be made in Spring 2027, within the 2026-27 financial year. Local authorities will not receive any payments until the Local SEND Reform Plan has been approved. For deficits that arise in 2026-27 and 2027-28, the DfE will continue to take an appropriate and proportionate

approach, though it will not be unlimited. Future support will take into account LAs' successful delivery of the approved Local SEND Reform Plan, including appropriate use of investment to establish an Experts at Hand offer.

• In response to the Government's commission to develop a single, area-

wide Local SEND Reform Plan, London Brough of Harrow has acted as the system convener, bringing together education, health and care partners to produce a coherent plan setting out clear actions, governance arrangements, measures and partner commitments.

• Our approach is centred on alignment rather than duplication. Harrow

already has a broad range of activity linked to the SEND/AP Strategy which was launched in 2025. The Reform plan will bring these strands together into a single overarching framework, ensuring that existing improvement activity is connected, measurable and clearly understood across the partnership. In doing so, the Reform plan will also respond directly to the evidence and assurance themes identified through recent stocktake and improvement discussions, particularly the need to demonstrate impact, strengthened governance and clearer performance oversight.

• Existing governance arrangements will therefore be used as the

foundation for delivery and accountability. These include strategic accountability and oversight by the Cradle to Career Board, programme delivery and oversight by the SEND Partnership Board, and established workstreams focused on EHCP quality, commissioning, early intervention, inclusion and sufficiency. These arrangements will enable partners to develop, monitor and evidence Reform plan actions through a shared and transparent structure, rather than creating parallel governance processes. 19. Financial assurance is also being integrated into the approach, drawing on Harrow's experience of managing High Needs pressures and strengthening financial oversight arrangements. As part of the Department for Education's SEND Reform Programme, local areas were required to complete a Local Partnership Maturity Assessment across seven pillars:

a. Pillar 1: Leadership and Governance; b. Pillar 2: Participation and Co-production; c. Pillar 3: Workforce and Practice; d. Pillar 4: Inclusion and Ordinarily Available Provision; e. Pillar 5: Specialist Support and Alternative Provision; f. Pillar 6: Data, Performance and Assurance; g. Pillar 7: Financial Sustainability and Value for Money.

Together, these pillars provide a framework for assessing local readiness for reform and identifying priorities for improvement. 20. In line with the expectations of Pillar 7 – Financial Sustainability and Value for Money – the Reform Plan aligns performance, quality assurance and financial monitoring to support sustainable use of

resources and clearer accountability for delivery. Pillar 7 requires local areas to demonstrate that financial planning, commissioning, performance monitoring and service improvement activity are aligned, enabling resources to be used effectively whilst improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. 21. Existing financial governance arrangements are therefore being strengthened to provide ongoing oversight of Reform plan implementation, High Needs Block expenditure and associated recovery activity

22. Coproduction remains central to the development and delivery of the Reform plan. Harrow’s Parent Carer Forum and wider stakeholder networks will continue to play an active role in shaping priorities, testing proposed changes and evaluating whether improvements are leading to better experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. This ensures continuity with existing improvement activity while supporting the requirement for a genuine partnership-owned Reform plan that is grounded in evidence, lived experience and shared accountability.

• Harrow has already made some progress across a number of key SEND improvement areas. These include:

strengthening early identification and the graduated response in mainstream settings;

reforming EHCP assessment processes, quality assurance and timeliness;

improving SEND sufficiency, including specialist provision and alternative provision;

embedding inclusive practice and reducing reliance on exclusionary approaches; and

developing more consistent approaches to preparation for adulthood and outcomes for young people aged 16–25.

• However, much of this activity has historically been progressed through

a number of separate programmes, strategies and delivery groups, making it difficult at times for partners, practitioners and families to understand how the system fits together as a whole.

• The SEND Reform plan therefore provides Harrow with a single, coherent narrative for SEND improvement. It will:

align local activity with national SEND reform priorities;

clarify the shared responsibilities of partners across education, health and care;

strengthen governance, assurance and reporting arrangements; and

support a stronger focus on earlier intervention, inclusion and improved outcomes for children and young people.

• The Reform plan is a mandatory requirement of the Department for Education and has now been submitted for review and approval.

Approval of the Reform plan remains linked to the Council's ability to access future High Needs Block deficit support arrangements, including the potential write-off of up to 90% of accumulated deficits. It will be subject to DfE review and approval and must demonstrate that Harrow has a sufficiently robust, credible and deliverable programme of reform.. Failure to meet these requirements would therefore present a significant financial, governance and assurance risk to the Council and the wider partnership.

Implications of the Recommendation Resources, costs

• The SEND Reform plan primarily brings together existing improvement

activity and does not, of itself, create additional unapproved financial commitments. Delivery will be managed within existing budgets and funding allocations, informed by ongoing financial monitoring and Medium-Term Financial Strategy planning.

• Expanding local SEND provision is expected to deliver cost efficiencies

by enabling more children and young people to access support closer to home. This will reduce reliance on independent and residential placements and lower the need for long-distance transport, thereby helping to contain future SEND transport expenditure.

• Transport projections are based on prior years' trends, with costs

forecast to grow by a reduced 7% in 2027/28, compared to the current 14% increase estimated for 2026/27. Whilst costs are expected to continue increasing due to demand and market pressures, investment in local provision and inclusion is intended to moderate future growth. Staffing/workforce

• Implementation will be delivered through existing teams and partnership

arrangements. The Reform plan includes the introduction and scaling of the national Experts at Hand model, which brings specialist SEND expertise closer to frontline settings through multidisciplinary advice, coaching and problem solving. This has workforce implications across education, health and care. The approach supports earlier intervention, reduces escalation to statutory processes and requires coordinated workforce planning, change management and ongoing professional development to ensure sustainability.

Ward Councillors’ comments

• None; this affects all wards in Harrow.

Performance Issues

• The SEND and AP Partnership will be required to submit quarterly

returns to the Department for Education as part of the national SEND Reform Programme. These returns will include a range of agreed performance measures and leading indicators which will be monitored throughout the programme. Local oversight of delivery, performance and risk will be provided through the Cradle to Career Strategic Board and the SEND and AP Partnership Board.

Environmental Implications

• The Council has declared a climate emergency and approved a Climate and Nature Strategy 2023–2030, supported by a strategic action plan to reduce organisational carbon emissions. A key ambition of the SEND Reform plan is to strengthen inclusion and increase local provision, enabling more children and young people to access support within their mainstream or local settings. This has the potential to reduce travel requirements across the borough and contribute positively to the Council’s wider environmental objectives.

Data Protection Implications 34. There are no data protection implications with this proposal. Risk Management Implications 35. Risks included on corporate or directorate risk register? Yes 36. Separate risk register in place? Yes 37. The relevant risks contained in the register are attached/summarised below. Yes The following key risks should be taken into account when agreeing the recommendations in this report:

• Progress will be routinely monitored through

established governance arrangements, with escalation processes in place where risks emerge.

• Cabinet will receive routine updates on

delivery, risks and any material changes to the programme

Procurement Implications

38. There are no immediate procurement implications arising directly from this decision. Any future procurement implications required to support delivery of the Reform plan will follow Council procurement procedures.

Legal Implications

39. The SEND Reform Plan sits alongside the Council’s statutory duties under the Children and Families Act 2014 and related legislation, which remain fully in force. Current SEND reforms are set out in a Department for Education White Paper and are subject to Parliamentary scrutiny and passage; until any legislative changes are enacted, existing statutory duties continue to apply. Legal services will be engaged as appropriate in shaping reform activity. 40. No direct legal decisions are sought in this update. The Reform plan arrangements sit within the Council’s and Icb’s existing statutory responsibilities for SEND; legal considerations are reflected in programme level work and will be brought forward alongside the Reform plan decision.

Financial Implications

41. Harrow provisional allocation for the Experts at Hand and SEND transformation fund is £2.1m (year 1), 80% of which must be spent on the direct delivery for all settings. Up to 10% of the allocation can be spent on transformation costs and a further 10% on admin costs for delivering the offer. 42. DfE approval of the Reform plan is a condition for accessing High Needs Stability grant announced in February 2026 as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The grant is equivalent to 90% of the Local Authority’s accumulated Dsg deficit at the end of March 2026. Harrow’s forecast deficit is £28.7m which equates to a potential grant of £25.9m. 43. The Reform plan supports earlier intervention, inclusion and effective use of resources. It is underpinned by the completion of the Department for Education’s required SEND reform data template, coordinated through the SEND Data Task and Finish Group, which has

identified the need for strengthened data quality, assurance and financial transparency across the system. This work is a mandatory element of national SEND reform and forms part of the evidence base used by the DfE to assess eligibility for High Needs Stability grant.

Equalities implications / Public Sector Equality Duty

Council Priorities

1. A council that puts residents first 2. A borough that is clean and safe 3. A place where those in need are supported The proposals in this report contribute to the council’s priorities by putting children and families at the centre, supporting those most in need through targeted reform, and strengthening inclusive, sustainable local services.

Section 3 - Statutory Officer Clearance

Statutory Officer: Andrew Osei Signed on behalf of the Chief Financial Officer Date: 19 June 2026

Statutory Officer: Helen Ottino Signed on behalf of the Monitoring Officer Date: 19 June 2026

Chief Officer: Roisin Madden Signed off by the relevant Strategic Director Date: 19 June 2026

Procurement: Nimesh Mehta Signed on by the Assistant Director of Procurement Date: 19 June 2026

Has the Portfolio Holder(s) been consulted? Yes ☒

Mandatory Checks

Ward Councillors notified: No, as it impacts on all Wards EqIA carried out: No – EqIA’s will be completed as the plan is developed and delivered and Cabinet will be updated regularly.

EqIA cleared by: N/A

Section 4 - Contact Details and Background Papers

Contact: Emma Harkin, Director of Education, Emma Harkin@harrow.gov.uk

Background Papers: None

Call-in waived by the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee: No