Essex Local SEND Reform Plan 2026

Classification: Official

The Local SEND Reform Plan

March 2026

Contents

• 1. Introduction
• Document Overview
• The Local SEND Reform Plan
• 2. Laying the Foundation for Reform
• The Experts at Hand Offer

Embedding the Experts at Hand Offer Within a Broader Reform Strategy 11

• Strengthening Effective Partnerships and Practice
• Governance
• Funding
• Structure of the Local SEND Reform Plan
• 3. Submission, Review, and Monitoring Process
• Submission
• Review
• Monitoring
• High Needs Stability Grant
• 4. Questions
• Annex A: Local SEND Reform Plan
• Executive Summary
• Section 1 – Vision and Goals
• Section 2 – Strategy
• Section 3 – Monitoring and Evaluation
• Section 4 – Governance
• Section 5 – Central Government Support
• Annex B - Supporting Documents
• Annex C – Risk Matrix

1. Introduction

Document Overview

This document is designed to support local area partnerships develop a Local SEND Reform Plan with most sections pertaining to the local area partnership as a whole, in particular, local authorities (LAs) and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), multi- academy trusts (MATs) and schools. Sections that pertain solely to local authorities are clearly marked Local Authorities.

While this document addresses local area partnerships, the government’s expectation is that the local authority is the system ‘convener’; taking the lead to bring together all system partners and ensure they work together to develop and deliver the Local SEND Reform Plan. Similarly, the government has clear expectations on all system partners to proactively respond to the local authority’s leadership, ensuring they commit resources and fulfil their responsibilities in the partnership. Central government will actively engage where system partners are not responding to the local authority’s leadership.

The document contains the following:

1. The Local SEND Reform Plan Guidance

Overview and a practical guide to help local area partnerships complete the plan.

• Local SEND Reform Plan Template – Annex A

The delivery plan that local area partnerships are expected to complete and return to the Department for Education and NHS England by 19 June 2026.

3. Supporting Documents – Annex B

A list of key resources and references including links to relevant policy documents, tools, and guidance referenced throughout.

The Local SEND Reform Plan

The 0-25 SEND system has been under significant and prolonged pressure, resulting in a system that is failing too many children and young people. Local services are overstretched, some children’s needs are escalating unnecessarily to crisis point, and financial pressures have become unsustainable. Yet within this challenging landscape, many local area partnerships have demonstrated determination and leadership - working very hard to improve their local services and often developing compelling and innovative approaches to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND. The government is committed to collaborating with local area partnerships to build on and scale what is working well.

We recognise that system-wide reform and investment is needed to deliver an inclusive and sustainable system that stands the test of time. However, realising this vision will only be possible if every local area takes full responsibility for driving significant improvement in the sustainable delivery of local services. It is imperative that all local areas begin this essential work through robust action plans that demonstrate clear ownership, ambition and accountability. This step change in the delivery of local services cannot be optional; it is a critical expectation of all local area partnerships.

As set out in the Schools White Paper, the government will reform the current SEND system, building on ongoing work to create a system that’s rooted in inclusion, where every child and young person receives high-quality support early on and can thrive in their local early years setting, school or college. The government’s plan is to ensure opportunity for all by delivering an excellent, inclusive education for every child with a world class education and highly trained workforce. This will be based on an inclusive mainstream education system, with professional support for children and young people that need it, and improved, efficient and effective local delivery, as detailed below.

• Inclusive mainstream system: most children and young people with SEND

will be supported to achieve and thrive in mainstream education settings through high-quality teaching, inclusive practice, and targeted support.

Settings will be equipped to create the right environments, and multidisciplinary professional support services will be commissioned at a group level to address needs efficiently.

• Specialist support for children that need it: Specialist settings will continue

to play a vital role for children and young people who require a substantially different curriculum or highly individualised approaches that cannot be delivered in mainstream educational settings.

• Efficient and effective local delivery: investment in and improvement of

local services, including health, care, and wider workforces and resources, will support the delivery of joined-up, place-based provision. Local authorities will work with Integrated Care Boards to commission multi-disciplinary professional support across early years settings, schools and post-16 providers, taking a whole school approach at group level, so children and young people can access the help they need. Improvement of local services eases the pressure on home to school transport, ensuring fewer children and young people with SEND need to travel a long way from home to attend a school or setting. Local authorities will work with all settings to plan and deliver the right physical spaces in mainstream nurseries, schools and colleges.

Delivering lasting change will take collective commitment and sustained effort from all of us; government, local authorities, health partners, early years, MATs, schools and colleges; working together with parents and carers to build the inclusive system our children and young people deserve.

The Local SEND Reform Plan is the key delivery and accountability vehicle for this collaborative commitment, with expectations that it is revised annually as proposed reform is rolled out. We recognise that delivery of the plan will be within the current statutory framework, as such, local area partnerships will not be required to implement any policy that is being consulted on or that will require legislative change.

This first iteration is about building on existing foundations and putting in place the groundwork for reform. It aims to:

• Support central government to understand how the SEND system is being

transformed nationally, understand how investment funding is being used to achieve reform priorities, identify innovative practice that can be disseminated and scaled up, and identify where additional support may be required.

• Support local areas - local authorities, health partners, early years, MATs,

schools and further education - to develop and deliver a clear pathway toward an inclusive and sustainable local SEND system that identifies and supports needs early, meets needs within the local area, is fair, effective and shared; building on existing work and tailored to the unique context of the local area.

• Support local authorities to unlock investment funding and access support for

historic and accruing deficits.

The Local SEND Reform Plan provides a framework that partnerships can use to establish a baseline for their local system and metrics against which transformation progress can be tracked.

The government, working alongside local area leadership, will use the plans - and the insights from regular progress reviews - to understand delivery, support decision‑making on investment funding and access to the High Needs Stability Grant, and reflect progress on target metrics. The Department for Education, in particular, will use the plans - incorporating the data returns, local partnership maturity assessments and core local reform plan – to establish a baseline and ongoing monitoring of local area performance.

Throughout this process, DfE officials, health regional leads, SEND and financial advisers will support local area colleagues with access to tailored guidance and emerging insights to help shape and strengthen their plans. The Local Government Association (LGA) will also provide additional system leadership and transformation support through the children’s and SEND improvement advisers.

2. Laying the Foundation for Reform

A central focus of this first iteration of the Local SEND Reform Plan is the introduction of the Experts at Hand (EAH) Offer and a strengthened approach to ensuring there are sufficient high needs places within mainstream settings, alongside a continued strengthening of effective partnerships and practice. Together, these initiatives aim to build a more inclusive and sustainable SEND system by ensuring mainstream settings, supported by collaborative and maturing partnerships, are equipped with both the right infrastructure and the specialist expertise needed to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.

The Experts at Hand Offer

The Experts at Hand Offer is a core pillar of the SEND reform programme, designed to strengthen the capability of mainstream education settings to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND more effectively and inclusively.

Local areas should provide a defined route for mainstream education settings to access specialist support, including from a range of experts with specialisms in education & health, such as in, educational psychology, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy, as well as through outreach from specialist settings. By adding support to shift to increased group-based models and whole setting advice and support, health and education professionals can deliver evidence- based support and intervention with greater impact and value, ensuring, where possible, needs do not escalate. This not only makes better use of a limited workforce but also reduces dependence on costly, individualised provision. There will continue to be children and young people with complex needs that will require individualised and tailored support to meet their needs.

We know that strong practice and effective joint working already exist in many local areas where settings are supported to strengthen inclusive practice. We are keen to ensure that local areas are building on these as they develop and scale up their offer.

Local area partnerships (Local Authorities, ICBs, and system partners including settings) are expected to build their Experts at Hand Offer so that it becomes an ongoing and embedded element of the SEND system.

In order to achieve this, as well as to support a more effective SEND system overall, we need:

• To maintain access and referrals for those children who need specialist

referral pathways identified at triage based on educational and clinical need.

• Better joint working across ICBs, LAs, and local system partners including

education settings, Best Start Family Hubs, Parent Carer Forums (PCFs), health providers and children and young people.

• More effective joint commissioning between LAs and ICBs, including strategic

planning and co-production with children, young people and families and local partners.

• A strong universal offer and fluid layers of support which can be accessed

from day one, one of which should include an offer of support for mainstream education settings giving them access to universal and targeted support from services across health and education – the new ‘Experts at Hand’ offer.

The aim of this offer is for mainstream early years settings, MATs, mainstream schools and further education providers to improve across the following areas:

• Understanding the needs of children and young people in their setting.
• Putting structures in place to build relationships and co-production with the

parent/carer community.

• Strengthening the baseline level of capacity of settings and staff to meet

commonly occurring SEND needs.

• Reviewing practice regularly to ensure current approaches are the most

suitable.

• Improving knowledge of when and how to draw down additional expertise

when required.

This model allows for more efficient deployment of multidisciplinary professionals, promotes broader skill development across settings, and supports a more dynamic and sustainable workforce. It also puts a stronger focus on collaboration between health professionals and education settings, enhancing the role of health professionals in education and enabling them to focus on strategic support to schools and settings as well as system-wide impact.

The offer is designed to build capability within mainstream settings through joint working, empowering education staff to identify and meet a wider range of needs and enabling more children and young people to thrive in inclusive environments; and is expected to be jointly owned and resourced by the Local Authority and Integrated Care Board.

Local areas should consider how they will develop this offer to ensure there is support and appropriate provision across early years, primary, secondary, and further education settings. This should include developing effective models and partnerships for supporting young people with SEND who access further education in a different local area.

Local areas[footnote 1] have flexibility in how they commission or employ the multidisciplinary workforce required to deliver the offer. They are encouraged to explore, alongside other options, deployment through special schools and colleges, alternative provision schools, Neighbourhood Health Services, Best Start Family Hubs[footnote 2], and Multi- disciplinary Family Help Teams. Local areas will need to work with neighbouring local area partnerships and representatives of the further education sector to consider how best to deliver this service to all colleges and other post-16 providers their young people attend – including those out of their area.

Local systems are expected to begin building this offer using allocated investment funding as a core focus of their delivery in the first year, with the aim of having all Experts at Hand offers established and operational as the new reforms are introduced.

Guidance relating to the Experts at Hand offer is due to be published in Spring 2026.

EAH Core minimum requirements

Experts at Hand Offer Local area partnerships will be expected to clearly and succinctly set out in their plan:

• The delivery approach for this offer and the rationale for why the outlined

approach is optimal for the local area. This will include setting out if delivery will be local authority-led, contracted to the ICB, in partnership with another area or through an external partner, and setting out the role of Best Start Family Hubs. Where delivery involves an ICB or external partner, please specify the partnership vehicle (such as an SLA or MOU) and how performance will be assured.

• A summary of the partnership approach to agreeing an optimal delivery

model including how all system partners were engaged and how the approach was informed by needs-based data.

• How the EAH funding will enhance existing routes to access specialist input,

and how the delivery model will be integrated with other services or offers funded separately.

• Proposal to collaboratively recommission alternative provision to align with

the 3-tier model and best practice identified through Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforces (APST) models.

• Where alternative provision capacity is constrained, whether the LA will

contract provision, partner regionally, or share expertise and the route chosen.

• Proposals for commissioning outreach from high-quality specialist providers,

where appropriate.

• Proposal for timely access to health and education professionals (e.g., in

educational psychology, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy) for early years, schools and colleges based on assessed local need.

• A detailed year 1 implementation plan, including recruitment approach and

success metrics (e.g. coverage, scale of support available), and a high-level plan for years 2–3.

• A proposed governance and accountability arrangement, as part of the

Local Area Partnership Board, including oversight routes, budgets and funding arrangements, reporting cadence and escalation processes. This should include a single, named LA-based SRO to drive improvement and reform.

• Clear expectations for joint governance, monitoring and shared

accountability across education and health partners.

• Proposed approach to settings accessing support which ensures support is

not disproportionately accessed by the most proactive schools and settings and includes out of area mainstream further education settings attended by local young people with SEND.

Embedding the Experts at Hand Offer Within a Broader

Reform Strategy

Local Authorities

While the Experts at Hand Offer will be a key building block to reform, it is not sufficient on its own to deliver the scale of change required for SEND. Local authorities are encouraged to continue to take a strategic approach to place planning and capital investment to ensure inclusive provision is available and accessible. Guidance relating to inclusion bases (formerly SEN units, resourced provision and pupil support units – SU/RP/PSUs) is due to be published in Spring

2026.

To support this, we expect that local authorities will:

Set out how High Needs capital funding will be used to invest in new places and adaptations to the physical environment so that needs of children and

young people with SEND are met in alignment with the reform aims of mainstream inclusion.

Use capital investment to improve the inclusivity of provision in all settings, considering a range of interventions that could better support children and young people with SEND through the physical environment, working with professionals who can advise and support e.g. special school/alternative provision practitioners, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, specialist nurses, mental health practitioners and support workers.

Identify where inclusion bases (formerly SU/RP/PSUs) in mainstream schools or nurseries, or specialist provision in colleges, currently exist, where additional capacity is needed, and how this varies across planning areas.

Engage proactively with early years providers, schools, multi-academy trusts and further education providers as well as health providers, to co-develop strategies for enabling more children and young people with SEND to access mainstream education.

• Engage with parent carer forums and children and young people forums to co-

produce strategies that work for children and families.

Ensure that decisions about the location and type of new SEND provision explicitly consider the proximity to where children and young people live and

the implications for transport, recognising this may not always be possible when commissioning SEND provision in large, further education colleges.

Ensure that all sufficiency and capital investment decisions include an assessment of transport impact, with a focus on reducing long-distance travel and increasing access to local, inclusive settings.

Core minimum requirements

Sufficiency and Place Planning Local area partnerships will be expected to clearly and succinctly set out in their plan:

• A summary of local sufficiency pressures and how planned place growth

addresses demand trends, including EHCP drivers and opportunities to meet need through capacity in mainstream settings.

• How the planned increases in capacity across setting types will reduce

reliance on special schools, especially out-of-area placements and independent specialist provision.

• How collaboration between LAs and MATs could be strengthened to identify

suitable sites and jointly plan the development of inclusion bases.

• Assurance that proposed inclusion bases in early years settings, schools,

and colleges would reflect local demographic need, maintaining high quality standards and clear expectations on type of provision.

• How existing school premises are factored in when planning new inclusion

bases, including opportunities created by falling rolls.

• Detailed plans to meet need for specialist places, by increasing capacity in

mainstream settings through inclusion bases, and to improve the suitability of the physical environment. This should set out how the investment would align with local need and reduce future pressure. Where plans propose use of high needs capital to create additional special school places, this should clearly explain why need cannot be met in mainstream, including how the investment would align with local need and reduce future pressure.

• Proposals for flexibility to accommodate rurality and local variation, ensuring

provision remains viable and context appropriate.

• Evidence that an impact assessment of travel arrangements has been

carried out for any capital, inclusion base or special school expansion proposal, demonstrating expected changes to travel distances, journey times, and reliance on out of area placements. Including any explicit travel related mitigations.

Strengthening Effective Partnerships and Practice

Effective collaboration across all system partners, including local authorities, ICBs, health provider organisations, Parent Carer Forums, Best Start Family Hubs, early years settings, mainstream and specialist schools, further education, dioceses, multi- academy trusts (MATs), parents carers, and children and young people with SEND, is essential to delivering meaningful transformation.

A transformed system that works for children and families must include co- production, collaborative partnership working and stakeholder engagement. Strong relationships at system and setting level are central to this.

The success of this transformation depends on shared ownership of decision-making, design and delivery of the local offer, and responsibility by all system partners, particularly local authorities, Integrated Care Boards and education settings.

The department is clear that MATs and schools have clear responsibilities in the development and active deployment of a strong universal offer of support to children and young people with SEND in their settings. They are expected to proactively collaborate with their system partners, including local authorities and ICBs, drawing on up-to-date understanding of the needs of children and young people in their settings to deliver consistent and robust support, particularly for the most commonly occurring and growing areas of need.

In the long term, MATs and schools will work together to pool some funding from their Inclusion Share for a more collaborative, efficient system to meet needs across their group and allow for better sharing of expertise and resources across an area. Local school groupings will need to be actively engaged with the local authority and Integrated Care Board. We will look to local authorities and their partners to shape the formation of groupings in their areas and have an oversight role for these groups. In designing local systems, local authorities, MATs, schools and other system partners should start to consider how they might integrate school groups into the bigger picture, to work closely with their Experts at Hand and wider reform offer to provide a comprehensive SEND system.

We would like to work with school and local authority partners to understand how these groups are best structured while we move long-term to a system where all schools are part of strong groups. Guidance relating to school groups and pooled funding will be published in due course.

Core minimum requirements

Local area partnerships will be expected to clearly and succinctly set out in their plan: Effective Practice - Universal Offer

• Proposal to co-develop, and regularly refresh, a partnership-wide universal

offer agreement with schools, MATs, early years settings and post-16 providers which will be underpinned by up-to-date, needs-based data and signed off by the local authority, Icb, Mat and school representatives and Parent Carer Forum (PCF). The agreed universal offer should draw on approaches that will be set out in the National Inclusion Standards.

• Evidence of the processes and mechanism through which MATs and PCFs

are engaged in the development of the universal offer.

• How early intervention services will be strengthened, with enhanced

mainstream support to prevent escalation of need.

• How a strengthened universal offer will support mainstream settings to meet

the most commonly occurring and growing areas of need. This should include how well evidenced early intervention approaches focused on speech and language (e.g. ELSEC[footnote 3]/NELI[footnote 4]), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH), could be

deployed.

• How a strengthened universal offer and group level specialist support will

reduce escalation into out-of-area placements with significant travel- assistance requirements.

Early Years (plans should align with LA Best Start in Life plans)

• Proposal for assessing sufficiency of current level of childcare provision for

0–5s, detailing: (a) availability of early years places; (b) availability of specialist SEND early years places; and (c) any local gaps for children with complex and emerging needs and plan to address these including the role of wider partners such as Best Start Family Hubs.

• Proposal to improve early years identification and intervention strategies,

including the role of Best Start Family Hubs.

• Proposal to strengthen transitions from early years to primary school,

ensuring effective information flow and timely specialist input.

Post-16

• Proposal to strengthen pathways to adulthood, supporting young people to

access education, training, employment and supported internships.

• A clarification of pathways into and out of post-16 settings, informed by

consistent information flow and timely, effective specialist support.

Effective Partnerships

• Evidence of effective, shared, partnership leadership and governance

across all system partners, with clear and mutually understood accountability arrangements.

• Evidence of formal representation from early years, schools, MATs and

further education on partnership boards, with appropriate links to Schools Forums to support coherent engagement across all settings.

• Proposal to underpin partnership working with shared, high-quality data,

including joint dashboards and use of a partnership maturity matrix to assess effectiveness.

• How proposed/agreed mechanisms for engaging all schools, early years

providers and post-16 providers (including out of area mainstream colleges accessed by local young people with SEND) would support collective responsibility for inclusive practice.

• Proposal to strengthen dispute resolution and decision-making processes so

system partners can address issues early and consistently, supported by transparent escalation routes.

• A single named SRO who is part of the leadership team, to provide

operational leadership and drive reform across the partnership. The SRO should be a senior local authority official.

Effective Co-production Practices

• Proposal to strengthen co-production arrangements so that parent carer

forums are properly resourced and consistently engaged in shaping decision making.

• How the voice of children and young people is captured directly and

distinctly from parent voice, with clear evidence of how their views influence decisions.

• How SENDIASS will be used to support parents carers with high quality,

independent information and guidance, and how the local area will address variability in service quality where it exists, with reference to the minimum SENDIASS service standards. Please include proposed mitigation to any parental concerns about the perceived independence of SENDIASS within mediation processes.

• Proposal to adopt a minimum co-production benchmark (based on NHSE

guidance) and self-assess against it in year one, identifying improvement actions where needed.

Mediation

• A description of local mediation and dispute resolution arrangements,

demonstrating how they incorporate the voices of parents and children and young people.

• Proposal to maintain metrics for timeliness, resolution rates and

effectiveness to support monitoring and accountability.

Governance

The Local SEND Reform Plan should be a local area partnership plan. The local authority, as the system convener, has an oversight role over the process of preparing, submitting and delivering the overall Local SEND Reform Plan with active participation from all system partners.

Governance arrangement is expected to include active representation from all key partners, including ICBs, PCFs, MATs and schools, with clear roles and accountability. Where local area partnerships involve multiple education partners – including those not always located within their area such as further education colleges – or may commission therapy services from different health providers, they should agree how those institutions/providers can be represented and have a fair voice in decision making.

The local area partnership should agree a single, named Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for the Local SEND Reform Plan and local area transformation who will be responsible for overseeing SEND improvement and reform for the area. The SRO should be a senior local authority official and part of the local area partnership leadership.

The Local SEND Reform Plan should be discussed, agreed, and signed off at the relevant SEND Governance Board. As a minimum, the plan should be formally signed off by the Local Authority Chief Executive (CEO), the Integrated Care Board (ICB) Chief Executive, the Local Authority Director of Children’s Services (DCS), the Integrated Care Board NHS Place Director, and the Local Authority Chief Financial Officer (CFO/Section 151 Officer), reflecting the joint statutory responsibilities for SEND across the system.

We expect your Local SEND Reform plan to be aligned with other local strategic plans you are currently developing, including your Best Start local plan. Both plans sit firmly within the government’s ambition to improve child development and health outcomes, and to create a more inclusive, high-quality system of support for all children and young people with SEND. Together, they should provide a coherent local approach to raising outcomes for children, young people and families.

Funding

To deliver our ambition for an inclusive and sustainable SEND system, the Department has secured targeted funding through the Spending Review. Some of this funding will be delivered directly to LAs and ICBs, other funding streams will be delivered to settings and will need to be considered when developing plans.

LA and ICB Funding

to embed inclusive practice into everyday provision, reducing the need for individual applications or formal diagnoses.

Local areas should consider how these funding streams will be used strategically and effectively to support reform priorities, build capacity, and ensure priority outcomes are realised.

Other Inclusion Funding

We are also investing in mainstream settings to ensure that they are able to meet the needs of more children with SEND effectively.

Structure of the Local SEND Reform Plan

The Plan is structured into five key sections:

• Vision – What the local area partnership is trying to achieve

The vision and goals for your local system in line with the national vision set out in the Schools White Paper.

• Strategy – How the local area partnership plans to achieve it

Where the local system expects to be in the next 3 years, its theory of change, roadmap for the next 3 years and delivery plan for the first year.

• Monitoring and Evaluation – How the local area partnership will know

delivery is on track The processes for tracking progress against milestones and outcomes and reporting to decision-makers.

• Governance – What action the local area partnership will take to stay on track

The governance and processes for monitoring progress and taking action to ensure delivery remains on track.

• Central Government Support – How we can help the local area partnership

An opportunity to identify practical support from central government that will help you deliver your plan.

The Local SEND Reform Plan is set out in Annex A.

3. Submission, Review, and Monitoring Process

Submission

Local areas are expected to submit the first iteration of their Local SEND Reform

Plan by Friday, June 19, 2026.

A month prior to final local leadership sign-off and formal submission of Local SEND Reform Plans; SEND and financial advisers will be available to review a final draft of local area plans to flag any significant gaps or concerns, and together with health regional leads and DfE officials, will offer intensive support if they believe a plan is at risk of not meeting the minimum quality threshold. Local area partnerships will then have an opportunity to action these concerns prior to formal submission to the department.

Local area leadership are encouraged to self-assess their plans using the Local SEND Reform Plan Quality Assessment Framework prior to sign-off and submission.

Further guidance on the submission and review process will be shared closer to the submission date.

Review

DfE and NHS England will use the plans to help identify effective, innovative practice and barriers, and identify how to effectively target support through the period of transformation.

The government will use the Local SEND Reform Plan Quality Assessment Framework to assess the quality of plans and facilitate access to the High Needs Stability Grant for local authorities.

The department will apply a consistent multi-tier assessment and moderation process to ensure that the review and assessment of plans is rigorous, consistent and fair.

DfE officials, health regional SEND leads, SEND and financial advisers will support local area partnerships in reviewing the plans using the Local SEND Reform Plan Quality Assessment Framework in the first tier.

Assessment tiers will include Regional Directors and independent senior civil servants from across the department. A SEND Delivery Board chaired by Regions Group Director-General, Tim Coulson, with DfE non-executive directors, DfE Performance and Risk Committee members and Sir Kevan Collins, the Secretary of State’s delivery advisor in attendance will sign off final ratings and agree recommendations to the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State will make the final decision to approve or not to approve a plan with assessment outcomes will be communicated in September

Monitoring

DfE Officials, health regional SEND leads, SEND and financial advisers will support local areas to develop iterative reform plans and, together with the local area leadership, jointly monitor the implementation of plans as reforms are rolled out.

The purpose of the joint monitoring is to: i. provide assurance that funding is spent in line with reform priorities and that local area partnerships are working together to co-design and implement key changes to local service delivery, including changes to roles and responsibilities; and ii. provide assurance that the implementation of reforms is delivering the anticipated changes and outcomes, by rebalancing the system towards early intervention, inclusive education, and sustainable local services.

DfE officials, health regional SEND leads, SEND and financial advisers will join quarterly review meetings with local area partnerships (utilising existing governance forums) to understand implementation progress and provide appropriate support and challenge as needed. Where applicable, these review meetings will be consolidated with other engagement or monitoring meetings from DfE or health regional SEND leads.

Local area leadership and officials are expected to discuss progress against the plan, including:

• Progress against key metrics
• Whether key milestones are on track to be achieved
• Whether risks are being effectively mitigated
• Identifying effective and innovative practice that can be shared; and
• Identifying where additional support may be needed or barriers unblocked.

Local area partnerships are required to provide quarterly data returns to DfE against the selected metrics outlined in the accompanying data template. DfE will, in turn, provide quarterly data reports with visualised analysis and benchmarking that will support local delivery, monitoring, and evaluation.

DfE officials and health regional SEND leads will use these data returns and discussions at review meetings, alongside submission of this Local SEND Reform Plan and the Local Partnership Maturity Assessment, as well as Area SEND inspection reports, to assess performance and delivery at the local level. These assessments and this ongoing monitoring will ensure that support and engagement is best allocated and targeted throughout this period of reform.

High Needs Stability Grant

The government will address long standing SEND financial pressures by covering 90% of local authorities’ High Needs-related DSG deficits accrued up to the end of 2025–26 through the High Needs Stability Grant. This grant will be paid subject to each local authority securing the Secretary of State for Education’s approval of their local area’s Local SEND Reform Plan. Payments will be made in Autumn 2026 for local authorities whose plans are approved. Local authorities whose plans do not meet the threshold for approval will be required to revise their plans to ensure they meet the required threshold, with appropriate support. Local authorities whose plans are subsequently approved will receive the grant payment in Spring 2027. Local authorities will not receive any payments until successful approval of their local area’s Local SEND Reform Plan.

Review and payment timeline outlined below.

4. Questions

For any questions relating to this document or the Local SEND Reform Plan more widely, please get in touch with your DfE SEND Lead or contact Implementationsupport.SEND@education.gov.uk

Annex A: Local SEND Reform Plan

Developing a Local SEND Reform Plan is an important first step for local areas to set out how they will lay the foundation for reform, and design an approach tailored to their local context. A shared plan which focuses on co-designing the local approach as system partners and with children, young people and families will help foster collective responsibility for delivering the reforms.

It is critical that all system partners, including health, education and childcare settings, work together to design and deliver the Local SEND Reform Plan, under the local authority’s leadership. It is also crucial that representative family carers e.g. the local Parent Carer Forum, are involved in the development of the plan.

The expectation is that this plan is discussed, agreed, and signed off at your relevant SEND Governance Board. As a minimum, the plan must be formally signed off by the Local Authority Chief Executive (CEO), the Integrated Care Board (ICB) Chief Executive, the Local Authority Director of Children’s Service (DCS), the Integrated Care Board NHS Place Director, and the Local Authority Chief Financial Officer (CFO/Section 151 Officer). We encourage other colleagues and partners who have contributed to also review and sign-off the plan, particularly early years, school, college and trust leaders.

Name of Local Authority: Essex County Council

Name of Integrated Care Board: NHS Essex ICB

Local SEND Reform Plan SRO: Ralph Holloway, Clare Kershaw

Signatories

Executive Summary

A brief summary of your local system ‘change story’ – your local context, where you are now, where you want to get to in the next 3 years, how you know you are succeeding and how you will know you have achieved your vision for the next 3 years. Please include a brief qualitative summary. This summary should also include your assessment of current and forecast performance against the headline metrics.

Please structure your ‘change story’ using the following aims:

• Build a 0-25 system where children and young people receive support to achieve and thrive through (a) more inclusive settings and
• stronger local partnerships
• Improve capacity and capability of the mainstream and specialist workforce to identify and meet need
• Improve confidence of children, families, and stakeholders in reform and readiness of the system
• Stabilise finances and improve value for money

Essex is a diverse county with strong foundations in inclusive practice, co-production and evidence-led improvement. In recent years, the system has invested significantly in strengthening early identification, mainstream inclusion, multi-agency working and sufficiency planning. This includes development of the Essex Inclusion Strategy and its support offer, the SEND Sufficiency Plan, and key roles such as Early Years Early Identification Partners, Assistant EPs, Inclusion Partners, Engagement Facilitators and SEND Champions within Social Care. We have also developed our Ordinarily Available Framework, trauma-informed practice, and a targeted programme of workforce development. Together, these improvements have created a shared language and consistent expectations around inclusive practice, enabling earlier identification of need and greater practitioner confidence.

Despite these strengths, the Essex system continues to face rising complexity of need, increasing requests for support, and variation in families’ experiences of timeliness, communication and access to specialist pathways. Neurodevelopmental assessment waits, variability in mental health pathways, and inconsistent identification of speech, language and communication needs continue to affect the reliability of children’s journeys.

Over the next three years, Essex will build a more sustainable, equitable and joined-up 0–25 system that consistently delivers timely, proportionate support and improves outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

• A 0–25 system with inclusive settings and strong partnerships

We will build on the Essex Inclusion Strategy and our locality-based partnership model, expanding existing resources and ways of working to incorporate a high-quality Experts at Hand offer. This will deepen collaboration across education, health, early help and social care so that support is coordinated, timely and responsive to local need. We will continue embedding the Balanced System model, grow the number and reach of high-quality inclusion bases, and strengthen early identification and timely support through shared data insight and integrated multi-agency pathways. Stronger locality partnerships will enable the Experts at Hand model to evolve into a cohesive, real-time support offer, ensuring children receive the right help at the right time.

• A skilled and confident workforce across education, health and care

Our workforce will be equipped to identify and meet need earlier and more accurately. This includes continued development of the Ordinarily Available Framework, rollout of evidence-based early years assessment tools, scaling successful pilot initiatives, targeted workforce development, clearer guidance and robust quality assurance. As these approaches mature, the Experts at Hand model will bring them together into a coordinated, real-time support offer for schools, settings and families.

• Increased confidence of children, families and stakeholders

Essex’s strong culture of co-production will underpin improved communication, transparency and consistency for families. Enhancements to One Planning, Annual Reviews, Local Offer content, roadshows and digital tools will create clearer pathways and more timely information. Improvements in family experience, reduced escalation to formal dispute routes and positive lived-experience feedback will signal rising confidence.

• Financial Stability and consistent value

We will stabilise the High Needs position by intervening earlier, increasing local options, strengthening Annual Reviews and embedding consistent decision-making across EHC processes and panels. Ongoing sufficiency planning will ensure the right mix of provision and reduce reliance on high-cost placements. Earlier identification, stronger SEN Support and equitable access to therapies will reduce avoidable escalation and improve long-term value.

Three-Year Vision We will know the system has transformed when:

- mainstream settings feel confident and capable - children receive timely support - gaps in attendance, suspensions and progress narrow - local provision is accessible for most families - families report high confidence in the support available - processes are timely, high-quality and consistently joined-up

Section 1 – Vision and Goals

• What the local area partnership is trying to achieve?

Please set out your goals for your local system. These should be clear, aligned to the vision set out in the Schools White Paper, small in number and measurable. These goals should include clear reference to:

• Outcomes for children
• Confidence of parents, carers and young people in the system
• Management of finances to secure value for money

Children and young people with SEND in Essex feel safe, valued and that they belong, irrespective of background or need. Their needs are identified and assessed accurately, in a timely way, and they are empowered to progress and live full lives.

Through inclusion, compassion and partnership, Essex will maintain a consistent SEND system where needs are met, families are heard and support is equitable and joined‑up.

Progress against these priorities will be tracked through a clear set of system-wide measures, including inclusion baseline, workforce confidence, EAH utilisation, sufficiency delivery and key outcomes such as attendance, exclusions, placement stability and timeliness:

• Inclusive local provision – By 2028/29, we aim for 80% of schools and settings to be meeting the agreed inclusion baseline, with the majority of children

and young people with SEND supported in mainstream provision. Reliance on specialist and out‑of‑area placements reduces year-on-year, and locality sufficiency plans are at least 85% implemented across Essex.

• Early identification and support – By 2028/29, needs are identified and supported earlier, with consistent year-on-year reductions in waiting times, EHCNA

rates and locality variation, and a measurable improvement from baseline in timeliness and access to support. 95% of mainstream settings access Experts at Hand (EAH) as the primary route to support.

• A trusted and stable system – By 2028/29, children, young people and families report increased confidence and trust, alongside a shift towards earlier

intervention and reduced escalation, evidenced by improving trends in placement stability, continued low level reliance on independent placements, and financial stability across the system. 65% of families reporting confidence in the provision for their child/children.

• A skilled, joined-up workforce – By 2028/29, professionals work collaboratively with the skills and confidence to deliver consistent inclusive practice, with

95% of schools and settings reporting increased confidence in meeting a wider range of need, and all localities operating consistent multi‑agency models supported by EAH functions.

• Improved outcomes and preparation for adulthood – By 2028/29, there is sustained improvement from baseline in attendance, participation, attainment

and wellbeing, with reduced exclusions, improved placement stability, and reduced variation between children and young people with SEND and their peers locally and nationally. More young people move successfully into education, employment and independent living.

By delivering these priorities, Essex will achieve a SEND system that is more inclusive, trusted and financially stable. Public resources will be used more proactively and effectively, leading to reduced escalation and lower reliance on high-cost provision.

Section 2 – Strategy

• Where the local area partnership expects to be in the next 3 years

A description of what your local system would look like in the next 3 years in line with the national vision set out in the Schools White Paper and set within the context of where you are starting from as a local system.

In particular, as commissioning system partners, you should reflect on and agree what your fully fledged Experts At Hand Offer model should be and how this will be deployed via mainstream settings and providers (including those not based in your area – e.g. further education colleges attended by your young people) to build their capacity as well as identify and meet the needs of children and young people earlier and without the need for a statutory assessment for Education, Health and Care.

To help you fully consider the scope and scale of change required, you may find it useful to structure your response using these 4 building blocks of an inclusive system, reflecting on what is working well in your system, what you are most worried about, what needs to change, and how the enablers will help you achieve your 3 year vision.

When summarising where your local area partnership currently is, please include an assessment of where you are in reference to the core minimum requirements above and how you bridge the gap, making reference to and attaching additional documents that provide underlying evidence for your summary.

Section 2: Strategy - Local Blueprint for the Next 3 Years This section sets out where the Essex SEND Partnership expects to be in three years, grounded in a clear understanding of our current system and constraints. Essex is an inclusion-led system with strong foundations, including a well-established Inclusion Strategy, Ordinarily Available framework and transformation of therapies through the Balanced System model. However, demand is rising, timeliness remains inconsistent and families’ experiences vary. Around 16,700 children and young people have EHCPs, with over 4,500 requests for assessment annually, and workforce capacity, particularly educational psychology and therapies, continues to be a challenge. This position reflects the findings of our recent local area inspection, which identified inconsistency in experience, timeliness and system confidence. Over the next three years, we will move from this position to a consistent, inclusive and sustainable system, where needs are identified earlier, met locally wherever possible, and reliance on statutory pathways is reduced. Our ambition is realistic and reflects both our starting point, available reform funding and investment agreed from ECC and the HNB.

By 2028/29, Essex will operate a joined-up 0–25 system where inclusive mainstream provision is the default, and children and young people receive timely, proportionate support close to home. This will be achieved through the full implementation of the Experts at Hand (EAH) offer, creating additional capacity across education, health and care to provide earlier, needs-led intervention, strengthen workforce confidence and reduce escalation. This will build on our current strong foundations including outreach from special and AP, Inclusion Framework, early intervention and a significant support offer for schools and settings. Early identification and intervention will be strengthened through close working between Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service, including Best Start Family Hubs, and the Experts at Hand offer. This ensures that children’s needs are identified and supported at the earliest stage through integrated education, health and family support, with timely access to specialist advice, workforce training and evidence-based interventions delivered within settings. This is set out in more detail in the attached document: Appendices 2 EAH Operating Model and 3 EAH Financial and workforce modelling. Delivery will be phased from alignment and mobilisation (2026/27), to embedding and scaling (2027/28), and maturity and sustainability (2028/29). Schools, health partners and both the Essex Family Forum and Multi Schools Council will be central to our transformation, through structured co-production, membership of all workstreams, reference groups accountability board, as well as locality-based delivery models. Throughout this period, the Essex partnership will adopt a test-and-learn approach, using data, quality assurance and lived experience to refine delivery and ensure the model adapts over time. Success will be evidenced through improved attendance, reduced reliance on independent placements, earlier access to specialist advice, and stronger post-16 outcomes, aligned to baseline data and measurable targets.

Schools, settings and colleges

Local Authority

Integrated Care Boards (ICBs)

Parent Carer Forum (PCF) and children & young people’s voice

Lead delivery of inclusive practice as the default, using the Inclusion Strategy, standards and Ordinarily Available Framework

Identify need early and take responsibility for the graduated response, reducing reliance on escalation to statutory processes

Provide system leadership, governance and accountability for SEND

Jointly commission services and align education, health and care investment

Lead delivery of EAH, sufficiency planning and capital programmes

Maintain statutory responsibilities (EHCPs) and

Jointly commission and resource key elements of the EAH model, including therapies (Balanced System) and health provider input

Ensure alignment of health investment and pathways with SEND reform priorities (early intervention, locality delivery, reduced waiting times)

Strategic partners in the design, delivery and evaluation of SEND system

Represent lived experience in governance, programme boards and workstreams

Co-produce key elements of the EAH model, Inclusion Strategy and communication approaches

Access Experts at Hand (EAH) offer, embedding specialist advice into day-to- day practice

Participate in locality clusters to support peer challenge, shared problem- solving and collective accountability for outcomes and use of resource

Engage in co-production with children, young people and families

Provide strategic oversight of health contribution to SEND outcomes through joint governance with the local authority

Align SEND priorities with wider system planning (e.g. mental health, neurodevelopmental pathways, long-term conditions) Health partners

Support the system to understand and respond to family experience, confidence and trust

Enable ongoing feedback loops with families and children/young people

improve timeliness and quality

Use data and quality assurance to reduce variation and drive continuous improvement

Deliver timely advice, coaching, capacity-building, and interventions via EAH

Work as part of integrated locality teams aligned to the Balanced System model for therapies

Contribute to EHCP processes

Access to specialist support and local placements System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours Enablers E.g. Capital – investment strategy across EY, mainstream, FE Workforce Data/digital systems

of excellence to consistent, system-wide inclusive delivery, while managing high and rising volumes of need alongside ongoing workforce constraints. In 2026, Essex supports approximately 16,300 children and young people with EHCPs and/or other financial top-up, with demand continuing to rise year on year. Around 45% are educated in mainstream settings, and reliance on independent provision remains low (3–4%), reflecting a strong and sustained commitment to inclusion. This growth has largely been accommodated within mainstream provision, rather than through expansion of specialist placements. Essex has expanded access to specialist provision through the creation of four new special free schools specifically designed to reduce use of independent schools. This is underpinned by a mature strategic offer, including:

and statutory pathways is reduced. Our ambition is ambitious but realistic and reflects both our starting point and available reform funding. By 2028/29, inclusive mainstream provision will be the default, supported by timely access to specialist expertise, strong locality partnerships and a confident, skilled workforce. This will be achieved through strengthened universal and targeted support, aligned system leadership across education, health and care, and the strategic use of specialist expertise to enable inclusion. The transformation will be delivered through a clear trajectory:

2026/27 – alignment and mobilisation (establishing governance, EAH and shared priorities)

2027/28 – embedding and scaling (increasing consistency and confidence across localities)

2028/29 – maturity and sustainability (a stable system with clear accountability, learning and continuous improvement)

• Strengthening inclusion across education settings

By the end of 2028/29, inclusive practice will be consistently embedded across all phases and localities, underpinned by the Essex Inclusion Strategy, Ordinarily Available Framework and National Inclusion Standards. This will include:

The Essex Inclusion Strategy and Inclusion Reviews

The Ordinarily Available Framework, setting consistent expectations

Transformation of therapies, through the Balanced System, shifting to needs-led, place-based delivery

A strong non-statutory workforce and specialist outreach offer

Growing Preparing for Adulthood pathways and early intervention through MHSTs and PINs In early years, Essex operates with the expectation that all providers are able to meet the needs of children with emerging SEN and/or additional needs, within universal provision. Local sufficiency analysis indicates that while overall early years place capacity is sufficient, there are emerging gaps in provision for children with more complex

A clearly defined and consistently applied inclusion baseline across all settings, evidenced through Inclusion Reviews and quality assurance

Mainstream settings able to confidently meet a broader range of needs (including MLD, ASC, SEMH and SLCN), reducing variation in practice and experience

A sustained shift towards needs being met at universal and targeted levels, with reduced reliance on escalation to EHCPs

Locality clusters operating as the primary delivery model, providing structured peer support, shared problem-solving and collective accountability for outcomes and use of resources

Transitions from early years to primary will be strengthened through

and emerging needs, particularly in relation to speech, language and communication needs and autism. Gaps are addressed through enhanced early intervention via our Early Years Early Intervention Partner roles, targeted funding for adaptations within settings (SENIF), and close working with Best Start Family Hubs, ensuring that support is delivered locally and at the earliest opportunity, rather than through the development of specialist early years provision. Together, these provide a strong foundation for reform, supported by engaged school leaders and active co-production with the children and young people and their families. What needs to change Despite these strengths, inclusive practice is not yet consistent across the system.

improved information sharing, joint planning and early involvement of specialist services where required. This will include consistent use of transition planning processes, alignment of early years assessment information with school-based support plans, and access to the Experts at Hand offer to support receiving schools to meet need from day one. This will be supported by clear expectations for settings, shared documentation, and quality assurance through locality clusters.

• Access to specialist support and local placements

By end of 2028/29, the Experts at Hand (EAH) model will be fully embedded as the default route to support across early years, schools and colleges, providing a clear, consistent and trusted pathway to specialist advice. EAH will enhance provision by building capacity and expanding the scope, availability and reach of specialist support, with a stronger focus on early, consultation-led intervention

Specialist support will be timely, needs-led and locally delivered through clusters, ensuring children and young people can access the right expertise at the point of need. The model will strengthen inclusive practice and workforce capability through consultation, coaching, modelling and direct work. As a result:

Variation in early identification – rising EHCP demand, particularly in early years (4–6), indicates gaps in earlier intervention

High demand for statutory processes – over 4,500 EHCNA requests annually, reflecting reliance on escalation

Sufficiency pressures – rising complexity (ASC and SEMH) is increasing demand for specialist placements

Workforce constraints – limited access to EP and therapy services impacts timeliness and consistency

Underdeveloped data integration – limiting early decision-making and system oversight

Geographic variation – Essex’s scale and diversity create variability in access and experience As a result, the system remains partially reactive, with

earlier identification and coordinated intervention will reduce demand for statutory processes

access to educational psychology and therapy input will be more consistent across localities

workforce confidence will increase, enabling more needs to be met in mainstream settings Aligned to the Inclusion Strategy and Balanced System approach to therapies, specialist support will operate at sufficient scale to provide joined-up, multi-agency input across education, health and care pathways.

families and professionals relying too often on statutory routes to secure support. This reflects the findings of the recent local area inspection, which identified inconsistencies in experience and identification of need, alongside ongoing challenges in timeliness, communications and family confidence. Essex has a strong understanding of its system, with clear evidence of what works and where change is needed. This provides a solid platform to implement SEND reform at pace and scale.

Alongside this, local sufficiency plans and targeted capital investment will align provision more closely to need, increasing the availability of local placements, reducing reliance on independent provision and minimising travel. Specialist provision will be used strategically to enable inclusive mainstream practice, rather than as the default response to need.

• System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production

Strong system leadership and partnership working will ensure SEND reform is coordinated, clearly governed and consistently delivered across education, health and care, including through Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and wider system change. By 2028/29:

Strategic commissioning is fully aligned across partners, with clear roles, shared priorities and outcome-focused governance

Co-production is embedded as standard practice, with children, young people, families and practitioners shaping design, delivery and improvement

Locality clusters operate as the core delivery model, enabling shared ownership of inclusion, collective problem-solving and consistent practice across areas

Data, quality assurance and lived experience are used routinely to inform decisions, reduce variation and drive continuous improvement

• Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours

A confident, inclusive culture will be embedded across the system, supported by aligned expectations, incentives and accountability.

Children, young people and families are active partners in shaping services, improving confidence and trust

Resources are used earlier and more effectively, improving long-term financial stability

Leaders, practitioners and partners share a common understanding of inclusive practice

System behaviour shifts from reactive escalation to early,

collaborative problem-solving Progress towards this future state will be tracked through a small set of measures that reflect culture change, system confidence and earlier intervention, rather than throughput alone. These will include:

Reduced reliance on statutory pathways and specialist placements

Improved access to early and targeted support

Greater consistency across localities

Improved outcomes, attendance and participation for children and young people with SEND A system that is trusted by families and financially sustainable over time

• Inclusive practice and system consistency

(Baseline: variation in practice, confidence, exclusions, accuracy in identification of need)

Targets have been set based on identified gaps in current performance and will be tracked against clearly defined baselines. By the end of 2028/29, success will be evidenced by:

Success measures

Drawing on metrics from

Essex operates at scale, with 452,235 children and young people aged 0–25, including 16,300 with EHCPs and 29,467 supported at SEN Support.

While 94% of schools are rated Good or Outstanding, inclusive practice is not yet consistent across localities.

Variation in early identification, graduated response and use of ordinarily available provision remains evident, contributing to higher demand for statutory assessment and escalation.

Exclusion rates and pupil experience for children with SEND vary across the system, and confidence in meeting a wider range of needs is not yet consistently embedded.

• Consistent, high-quality, inclusive practice across schools and settings:

the accompanying data

template E.g.

a. Increase the proportion of schools/settings meeting the agreed inclusion baseline (via Inclusion Reviews) to 80% by 2028/29, with year-on-year improvement b. Reduce variation between localities in inclusion review Improve attendance of pupils in all maintained schools (mainstream and outcomes (measured by narrowing range of scores year-on- year) c. 95% of schools reporting increased confidence in identifying special) with SEN Reduce reliance on a wider range of needs (self-assessment / survey) including Autism, SEMH, MLD and SLCN – reduction in variation between Essex and national data in needs at EHCP and pre- statutory levels d. Year-on-year increase in pupils with SEND supported at independent special school places Mainstream settings with increased access to targeted support without escalation to EHCP e. Reduce fixed-term and permanent exclusion rates for pupils Education with SEND (year-on-year reduction) f. Shift spend on reactive AP following permanent exclusion, Psychologists/SaLT/OT Reduced NEET rates for medical needs etc into earlier intervention to support mainstream places.

SEND YP at age 16

• Experts at Hand model and early intervention

(Baseline: high EHCNA demand, variable access, workforce constraints, reliance on escalation)

• A mature, system-wide Experts at Hand model operating as standard practice

a. Increase the proportion of mainstream settings accessing EAH as the primary route to support to 95% by 2028/29 b. Reduce EHCNA request rates per 10,000 population to align

Demand for statutory assessment remains high, with 4,500+ EHC needs assessment requests annually and increasing reliance on EHCPs.

Early intervention pathways are in place but not yet consistently embedded

Workforce capacity constraints, particularly in Educational Psychology and therapies, limit timely access to advice and support.

While improvement activity is underway, access to specialist input across mainstream settings remains variable, and the system continues to rely on escalation rather than earlier, needs-led support.

Demand for mental health and wider health services continues to rise.

While waiting times in some services remain comparatively strong, pressures on workforce capacity and increasing complexity of need require closer integration with education and earlier intervention approaches.

• Sufficiency and local provision

(Baseline: rising placements, IPES/AP use, variation in provision and stability)

more closely with national rates (year-on-year reduction) c. Reduce variation in EHCNA requests between similar

schools/localities (identify and reduce outliers) d. Increase workforce confidence in meeting needs without

escalation (annual survey and QA evidence) e. Reduce variation in access to specialist advice (EP, SaLT, OT)

across localities (measured through service data) f. Reduce repeat referrals for the same pupil (year-on-year

reduction) g. Improve recruitment and retention of EP and therapy

workforce (reduced vacancy and turnover rates) h. Reduction in waiting times for key therapies (e.g. SaLT, OT) in

line with local baselines i. Increased proportion of health input delivered through consultation and capacity-building models (vs referral-based intervention) j. Reduction in variation in access to health services across localities

• A stable and sufficient pattern of local provision, a. Reduce use of independent special school placements (% and

absolute numbers) b. Maintain or increase the proportion of children with EHCPs

educated in mainstream/local provision (particularly newly issued EHCPs) c. Reduce average distance travelled to placements, and reduce

Essex currently maintains relatively low reliance on independent placements (3.6% of EHCPs).

However, the absolute number of placements is increasing year-on-year, reflecting rising demand and complexity of need.

Use of alternative provision and Individual Packages of Education (IPES) remains significant, and there is variation in sufficiency and access to appropriate local provision across areas. Placement stability is not yet consistent, and reliance on specialist pathways remains higher than desired.

• Outcomes and life chances for children and young

people with SEND (Baseline: attendance gaps, exclusions, NEET risk, post-16 dependency)

variation between localities d. Reduction in the variation in distance travelled to school,

between children with SEND and without e. Increase the number of pupils with SEND accessing local

inclusion bases f. Reduce use of IPES and alternative provision for pupils with

SEND (year-on-year reduction) g. Reduce expenditure on IPES for SEND h. Improve placement stability (reduction in mid-year moves

and placement breakdowns)

• Positive and sustained outcomes for children and young people

with SEND

a. Reduce overall absence rate for pupils with SEND from current baseline (11.4%) and narrow the gap between children with SEND and without, and with national b. Reduce persistent and severe absence rates for pupils with

Outcomes for children with SEND are below national averages in some areas: Attendance gaps persist, with higher overall absence (11.4% vs 10.6%), persistent absence (31.4% vs 29.4%) and severe absence (6.1% vs 5.2%) compared to national.

Statutory data and system intelligence indicate ongoing challenges in exclusion, participation and sustained engagement

Post-16 demand remains high, with over 4,000 young people aged 16–25 with EHCPs, indicating continued dependency on structured support and variable preparation for adulthood.

• System maturity, data and performance

(Baseline: 28% EHCP timeliness, 49-week average, reactive system, poor data use)

SEND (from 31.4% and 6.1% respectively) c. Reduce fixed-term and permanent exclusions for all children

and young people – with a spotlight on pupils with SEND d. Improve attainment and progress measures for pupils with

SEND (where applicable) e. Reduce SEND NEET rates at ages 16–18 f. Increase the proportion of young people with SEND

progressing to education, employment or training g. Increase the proportion of EHCPs with clear, outcomes-

focused Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) pathways from Year 9 (measured through QA sampling)

• A mature SEND system driven by data, learning and quality assurance

a. Increase the proportion of EHCPs issued within 20 weeks from 28% to in line with national expectations b. Reduce average time to issue EHCPs from current baseline

Statutory processes remain under pressure, with only 28% of EHCPs issued within 20 weeks and an average completion time of over 49 weeks. Demand continues to grow at around 10% annually, driven by increasing requests and rising complexity of need.

Although Essex holds significant data, systems are not yet fully integrated or consistently used to drive early intervention and system-wide improvement.

The system remains partially reactive, with escalation and statutory routes often used as primary mechanisms for securing support.

(49+ weeks) c. Establish and routinely use multi-agency data dashboards in

governance (evidenced through board reporting) d. Ensure all localities complete annual QA cycles (Inclusion

Reviews, thematic audits) e. Reduce complaints, tribunals and escalation points (year-on-

year reduction) f. Increase parental confidence and satisfaction (measured

through surveys and engagement feedback) These measures reflect a system operating at maturity and will continue to be reviewed through SEND governance arrangements to sustain improvement beyond 2028/29. ***Insert Document Upload Link***

• What is the local area partnership’s strategy for delivering on the above?

A brief summary of your local system’s theory of change or reform strategy. Reflect on the output of your Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool, particularly your Local System ‘change story.’

Essex’s strategy is to move from pockets of strong practice to consistent, system-wide inclusion, ensuring children and young people feel valued, belong in their communities and are empowered to progress. This is in response to rising volumes, increasing complexity and workforce pressures.

Our maturity assessment confirms Essex as a developing system on a clear trajectory towards greater inclusion. There is a strong shared vision, built together with leaders, families and frontline practitioners. While foundations are strong, experience and outcomes are not yet consistent, with too much reliance on escalation and statutory processes. This has shaped the priorities and sequencing of our plans; improving early identification, strengthening mainstream capacity and embedding shared accountability across the system.

Co-produced and shaped by lived experience, our theory of change is that by increasing access to specialist expertise, strengthening local provision and aligning system leadership and accountability, we will shift from reactive, escalation-led support to earlier, needs-led intervention delivered consistently across Essex. This will reduce variation, improve outcomes and create a more sustainable system.

This will be achieved through three connected delivery elements:

• Experts at Hand, expands access to multidisciplinary expertise through an accessible, needs-led model, enabling earlier identification,

reducing variability in support and strengthening workforce confidence/ capability. - Outputs: increased access to specialist advice, reduced variation across localities - Outcomes: more needs met at universal and targeted levels, reduced need for statutory processes

• Local sufficiency planning, aligns capital investment, commissioning and outreach to ensure provision is available locally and used

strategically to support inclusion. - Outputs: increased local placements, improved alignment of provision to need - Outcomes: reduced reliance on independent provision and improved placement stability

• Shared accountability and partnership delivery, establishes joined-up governance, co-production and locality-based delivery to ensure

consistent implementation and continuous improvement. - Outputs: embedded co-production, cluster-based delivery and support - Outcomes: reduced variation in practice and improved confidence across the system

This approach is delivered jointly by schools, health partners, local authority services and with the Essex Family Forum (PCF), with each playing a defined role in leadership, early support, direct delivery, family support, provision development and locality-based accountability.

Together, these changes will lead to improved outcomes, greater confidence for families and a more financially sustainable system, aligned to the Essex vision. Progress will be monitored through a small set of measurable indicators, including access to early support, use of statutory processes, placement patterns, outcomes and confidence, supported by strong governance and a phased, test-and-learn approach over three years.

This is set out in more detail in the attached document: Appendices 4: Essex SEND Theory of Change and 10 Transformation Programme

• Please upload a completed copy of the Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool.

***Insert Document Upload Link***

• What is the local area partnership roadmap for the next 3 years?

Reflecting on the broad timescales and expectation for deliverables set out in the Schools White Paper, key documents and core minimum requirements set out in this document, please provide a high-level roadmap for the next 3 years. Please highlight key milestones and a trajectory to the target metrics identified above, including leading indicators.

In the 2026-27 column, in particular, please reference how you plan to meet the core minimum requirements in your narrative, including details and evidence in supporting documents.

You can insert or upload supporting documents including graphics/visuals that illustrate your data trajectory.

This roadmap sets out how the Essex local area partnership will deliver SEND reform over the three-year period from 2026/27 to 2028/29. It is aligned to national policy direction, including the Schools White Paper, core minimum requirements, and the Essex Inclusion and SEND Strategies, and has been developed based on what is currently known about the local system, including pressures, strengths and priority areas for improvement. Essex is subject to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), with new authorities expected to be established during the period covered by this roadmap (vested April 2028, with shadow authorities established in April 2027). This plan therefore sets out a clear direction based on current structures, as a foundation that new authorities can build on.

The roadmap provides a high-level strategic trajectory, deliberately sequencing activity from alignment and system coherence, through embedding and scaling, to maturity and sustainability. It is intended as a foundational roadmap that will continue to be iterated as further national guidance is issued, delivery matures, and learning from implementation and lived experience informs future priorities. The roadmap is structured around the DfE’s four building blocks of inclusion:

• Strengthening inclusion across education settings
• Access to specialist support and local placements
• System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production
• Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours

See appendix 7 Milestones / plan visual and 6 Success Measures table and below.

Drawing on metrics from the accompanying data template E.g. Improve attendance of pupils in all maintained schools (mainstream and special) with SEN Reduce spend on ISS places Increase # children and young people supported by Education Psychologists/Salt/Ot in maintained provision Improve overall effectiveness of provision NEET data Leading indicators

By the end of 2026/27, success will be evidenced by:

By the end of 2027/28, success will be evidenced by:

By the end of 2028/29, success will be evidenced by:

• Greater consistency and

quality of inclusive practice across mainstream schools and settings, with earlier intervention reducing escalation of need and increasing schools’ confidence in meeting needs locally. [Percentage of schools/settings, EAH data] 66%* Schools/settings reporting increased confidence in meeting wider range of need

• Consistent and effective use

of the Experts at Hand offer across clusters, supporting earlier and more accurate identification of need, improved confidence in decision-making within local provision, and reduced unnecessary escalation to specialist and independent placements. 85%Clusters with access to EAH functions 1–3

• Increased engagement of

mainstream schools and settings in inclusion and Ordinarily Available activity, with a measurable improvement in shared understanding of inclusive practice across clusters 33%* Schools/settings reporting increased confidence in meeting wider range of need

• Improved access to timely

specialist advice within local provision/clusters, demonstrated by reduced variation in access to EP, SaLT, OT and wider EAH support 75%Clusters with access to EAH functions 1–3 50% Mainstream settings accessing EAH as primary route to support

• Sustained, high-quality

inclusive practice across schools and settings, with reduced variability and inclusive approaches operating as standard practice across the system. [Insight from Inclusion Reviews, self-assessments, percentage of schools/settings, EAH data]. 80%* Schools/settings reporting increased confidence in meeting wider range of need

• A mature, system-wide

Experts at Hand model operating as standard practice, with consistent quality, workforce competencies embedded at all levels, and demonstrable impact on inclusive practice, reduced variation between localities, and sustained reduction in reliance on specialist and independent placements.

• A clear, shared evidence base

on the gaps between need and local provision, (including drivers for specialist and independent) used to inform updated locality sufficiency plans [needs, placement types, distances]. 50% Localities with sufficiency plans drafted

• Improved attendance and

stability of placement for children and young people with SEND in local settings [PEX, Suspensions, movement]

• Effective system leadership

and confidence in SEND arrangements, demonstrated through routine use of a

75% Mainstream settings accessing EAH as primary route to support

100%Clusters with access to EAH functions 1–3 95% Mainstream settings accessing EAH as primary route to support

• A stable and sufficient pattern

of local provision, evidenced by reduced reliance on independent specialist placements and improved matching of need to local provision. 100% Localities with sufficiency plans drafted, 85% implemented

• Positive and sustained

outcomes for children and young people with SEND, demonstrated through improved attendance, placement stability and reduced disruption.

• A mature SEND system driven

by data, learning and quality assurance, with clear learning loops across governance, partnerships and delivery, and

• Slower growth in demand for

specialist and independent placements, alongside increased local capacity delivered through implemented sufficiency plans. 100% Localities with sufficiency plans drafted, 50% implemented

• Improved attendance and

stability of placement for children and young people with SEND in local provision, with further reductions in suspensions, persistent absence and unplanned movement.

• Stronger system leadership,

partnership working and trust, demonstrated through routine use of shared SEND

shared SEND data dashboard and increased parental participation and confidence [survey, compliments, complaints, workforce data, service intelligence] 25% of families reporting confidence in the provision for their child/children These success measures will be reviewed routinely through SEND governance arrangements and used to inform delivery focus, resource allocation and course correction across the three-year period.

data, faster and clearer decision-making, and growing confidence among families and settings. 40% of families reporting confidence in the provision for their child/children These measures build on the 2026/27 foundations and will continue to be reviewed through SEND governance arrangements to inform delivery focus, resource allocation and course correction.

improvement activity driven by insight rather than crisis response. 65% of families reporting confidence in the provision for their child/children These measures reflect a system operating at maturity and will continue to be reviewed through SEND governance arrangements to sustain improvement beyond 2028/29.

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• What will the local area partnership deliver in the first year?

Please outline the key workstreams, milestones and trajectory your local area partnership will deliver and achieve in 2026-27 as well as how you plan to spend the investment allocation that will help fund this year’s delivery. Please share key milestones and anticipated dates, success measures, cost breakdown and category. These should incorporate the core minimum requirements, be mapped to the building blocks above and should reflect a more detailed trajectory to the narrative, milestones and target metrics outlined in the 2026- 27 column above.

Initial rollout of evidence-based, whole-school inclusion programmes to priority schools and clusters aligned to identified inclusion gaps (e.g. SEMH, EBSA, SLCN)

school inclusion programmes supporting emotional wellbeing, belonging and early identification across mainstream settings

ECC support for schools to develop school-level inclusion strategies – aligned to above

System baseline established (variation, reach, and confidence mapped)

Commissioning of programmes for identification of need and whole school inclusion e.g. SEMH (My Happy Mind), SLCN (Speech and Language Link)

Learning captured from existing

implementin g whole- school inclusion programmes, with early evidence of improved staff confidence and consistency in practice

Increased use of universal and targeted approaches to meet need, reducing reliance on escalation

and workforce training

inclusion baseline

Variation between clusters clearly understood and monitored

Confidence across schools and early years settings baseline established and tracked

Clear, evidence- based priorities defined for scaling in 2027/28

System monitoring and feedback loops in place (to inform 2027/28 priorities and scaling)

Clusters invited to develop inclusion Framework Plans – with support from EAH

programmes (e.g. PINs, early years, inclusion strategy delivery to date)

TPP Quality Assurance and Impact processes

• Access to specialist support

and local placements

• Clear, shared

understanding of system capacity, demand and gaps

• Outreach and

specialist support landscape understood

• EAH model

defined and agreed across the partnership

Workforce mobilisation underway in priority areas

Clear plan for outreach expansion and alignment

33% Locality sufficiency plans in place to inform provision development

Phase 1 and 2 delivery plans agreed for APST and inclusion bases

Identification of phase 3 inclusion bases (LA commissione d);

Protocols in place for capital

85% Clusters with baseline access to EAH functions 1–3

50% Mainstream settings accessing EAH as primary route to support

Early access routes to specialist support becoming clearer and more consistent

Initial impact of expanded outreach offer evident in priority areas

Phase 1 APST delivery established in identified quadrants

Initial inclusion

Co-production, design and audit of as-is

Ongoing co- design of the Experts at Hand (EAH) model (scope, thresholds, access routes and delivery approach)

Sufficiency audit completed (including needs, provision, inclusion bases and placement patterns)

Analysis of outreach and specialist support offers (identifying gaps, overlap and variation)

Mobilisation and system alignment

Initial implementation of EAH model begins (test-and-learn phase in selected areas) using existing capacity

Recruitment of key EAH delivery roles commenced

Plan to expand and align outreach offer agreed

APST model prepared and aligned for phased rollout

Locality sufficiency plans developed (based on audit and demand analysis)

Phase 2 inclusion bases - Viability studies for inclusion bases at o Beckers Green Primary

Wider mobilisation and system alignment

Further implementation of EAH model (test-and-learn phase in selected areas)

Recruitment continues

Targeted expansion of outreach support underway (reducing gaps and improving consistency)

APST model rolled out in phase 1 quadrants

Business cases developed to establish new inclusion bases commissioned by LA at all the schools where

Outcome: Development of a coherent system for accessing early specialist support and local provision, informed by need and current gaps.

Year 1 aims:

Clear, shared understanding of system capacity and demand

Agreed design for EAH (not yet fully implemented)

Evidence base for sufficiency and provision planning established

Establish protocols for identification of sites/host schools for new inclusion bases (LA commissioned).

• Sufficiency

gaps and priorities identified at locality level

• Inclusion

Bases – phase 1 delivered

o Cathedral or Moulsham Junior School o Mayflower High School, o White Court Primary, o St John Payne o Colchester Academy, o Mayflower Primary o Sir Martin Frobisher

Submission and consideration of expressions of intertest for establishment of phase 3 provisions.

Development of protocol for establishment of school/MAT commissioned inclusion bases where capital investment needed.

Engagement and design work with post-16 colleges to establish models for LA and college commissioned inclusion bases.

Ongoing planning for inclusion bases and locality sufficiency (priority areas identified and phased)

Phase 1 inclusion bases:

investment in school/MAT commissione d inclusion bases;

Protocols in place for LA and college commissione d inclusion bases in post-16.

viability study is positive.

Phase 1 of post- 16 college capital investment – settings identified.

bases operational in priority areas

Workforce capacity beginning to strengthen in key roles

50% Sufficiency plans in active use to guide provision development

Clear priorities defined for scaling EAH, outreach and local provision in 2027/28

Early shift towards accessing support earlier in mainstream settings begins to emerge

o Saffron Walden o Hazelmere Infant School o St Michaels Primary in Colchester Viability studies for inclusion bases at o James Hornsby o Ingatestone Infant and Junior Schools, o Millhouse

Priority projects for post-16 capital investment agreed.

Primary School, o North

Crescent Primary School o Rayleigh

Primary School

Redefine governance, roles and system visibility

Review and refresh SEND governance and accountability arrangements (roles, decision- making structures and partnership responsibilities )

Recruit key leadership Roles

Define system- wide performance framework and core dataset (aligned to SEND reform priorities)

Design SEND and inclusion data dashboards (school, cluster and system- level visibility)

Co-production approach agreed and embedded in programme design

Clear and agreed governance structure in place across the partnership

Shared understandin g of roles, responsibiliti es and accountabiliti es

System-wide approach to performance monitoring defined

Baseline understandin g of variation in cluster models established

Co- production consistently informing planning and design

Embed governance and build system intelligence

Refreshed governance arrangements implemented (including strengthened accountability mechanisms)

SEND and inclusion data dashboards launched (initial rollout across system and locality forums)

Schools, clusters and partners using data to inform decision-making

SEND cluster model review informs design of updated arrangements

CEO / Headteacher reference group established (strengthening system leadership and engagement)

Co-production activity embedded in key decisions and delivery planning

Increased clarity and consistency in system leadership and decision- making

Improved visibility of performance , need and variation across the system

Data beginning to inform discussions at school, cluster and system level

Stronger engagement of school leaders in system leadership

Co- production established as a core approach across reform activity

Strengthen accountability and system alignment

SEND cluster model arrangements updated and implementation begins (reflecting learning from audit)

Use of dashboards embedded in governance and accountability processes

CEO / Headteacher reference group actively shaping system priorities

Co-production embedded in evaluation and feedback loops

Monitoring and review processes established (linking governance, data and delivery)

Clear and consistently applied governance across the system

Regular use of data to understand performance, variation and impact

Stronger system leadership with active engagement from schools and partners

Improved visibility and understanding of variation across clusters

Co-production embedded in decision- making and system evaluation

Clear line of sight from system performance to accountability and

3. System leadership, collaboration and co-production

Scope: Establish clear system architecture, governance and shared accountability for SEND reform delivery.

Year 1 aims:

Clarity of roles, governance and accountability

Improved visibility of system performance and variation

Co-production embedded in design and decision-making

agreed for key system leadership and delivery roles (e.g. commissioning , data, programme and delivery capacity)

Initial design of multi-year workforce development approach

Delivery of whole-school training and workforce development through commissioned programmes supporting inclusive practice

of shared approaches and tools within classrooms and settings

Early evidence of improved engagement, participation and behaviour support within mainstream settings

Clear priorities established for scaling workforce development in 2027/28

Establishment of shared language and approaches across staff teams to support consistency in practice

Projected Investment Spend per quarter Workforce Investment

Workforce Investment £0.14m

Recruitment of senior and lead roles to support EAH design and mobilisation, cluster creation, inclusion work, governance review and capital programme

Salt AP role

Project Management

Staff engagement

Governance review capacity Inclusion Investment £89K

Early years commissioning of assessment tools and training (funded through LA/ICB core)

engagement with settings

family roadshows and engagement Digital and Data Investment £0k

Workforce Investment £0.61m

• Recruitment of programme roles
• Begin recruitment of key EAH workforce (expansion of Ip, Ep, Therapies, Navigation lead)
• Induction for staff
• Project Management

Inclusion Investment £712K

• Cluster inclusion development funding
• ESSET Outreach
• Workforce development sessions
• Mediation/advocacy service setup
• Roadshows and engagement
• Initial quadrants APST recruitment

Digital and Data Investment £41K

• Recruitment of data roles
• Dashboard design and build

Provision Investment £6.2m

Workforce Investment £1.14

• Further EAH staffing (ST)
• Induction and Training for staff
• Project Management
• Evaluation role
• Admin

Inclusion Investment £1.3m

• Cluster inclusion development funding (scaling)
• AP Outreach
• Wider specialist Outreach
• Mediation/advocacy service development
• Roadshows and engagement
• Further quadrants APST recruitment

Digital and Data Investment £166K

• Digital tools – main investment
• Dashboard design and build ongoing

Provision Investment £4.7m

Focuses on recruiting, retaining, training and developing specialist and mainstream workforce capacity to deliver services effectively. Inclusion Investment

Supports strengthening mainstream provision and early intervention strategies for broader accessibility and inclusion. Provision Investment

Addresses capacity issues by developing infrastructure such as inclusion bases and local placement facilities. Programme and Data Investment

Digital development and performance tracking systems to support and shape delivery.

Provision Investment £6.2m

satellite special schools on mainstream sites in Burnham-on-Crouch and Canvey Island;

Development of satellite special schools on mainstream school sites in Burnham-on-Crouch;

Expansion of Wells Park School;

Development of satellite special schools on mainstream school sites in Burnham-on- Crouch;

Expansion of Glenwood and Wells Park special schools;

Development of new Wolsey Park special school;

Capital investment to establish new inclusion bases at Saffron Walden CHS and Ormiston Rivers Academy;

Development of specialist capacity at Lexden Primary School for deaf children.

Inclusion framework funding of mainstream school bids to develop inclusion bases, sensory spaces, forest school etc.

Development of new Wolsey Park special school;

Capital investment to establish new inclusion base at Ormiston Rivers Academy;

Development of specialist capacity at Lexden Primary School for deaf children.

Inclusion framework funding of mainstream school bids to develop inclusion bases, sensory spaces, forest school etc.

Expansion of Wells Park School;

Development of new Wolsey Park special school;

Capital investment to establish new inclusion base at Ormiston Rivers Academy;

Development of specialist capacity at Lexden Primary School for deaf children.

Inclusion framework funding of mainstream school bids to develop inclusion bases, sensory spaces, forest school etc.

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• How will the local area partnership deliver the first-year plan?

Please set out how you will ensure the required capacity and capability is in place from organisational corporate functions to support implementation of the plan. This could include reference to how you plan to build or bring in project delivery capability to manage delivery against the plan, support prioritisation, and effective use of resources; and how you plan to build the capacity and capability in data and analytics to support effective tracking against the measures in the plan and reporting that informs decision making.

The local area partnership has assessed the capacity required to deliver the first-year plan and will ensure sufficiency through a combination of existing corporate and service level resource, alongside targeted investment in programme, analytical and commissioning capacity. This capacity is funded through the transformation allocation within the SEND reform programme and has been designed to provide sufficient capability to support delivery, governance and reporting requirements in year one. Programme leadership and delivery capacity Delivery will be enabled through a strengthened programme structure, with senior leadership oversight provided by an Assistant Director for SEND reform. Enhancing the SEND programme management function will be key, to coordinate delivery across workstreams, with dedicated roles including a SEND Reform Programme Manager and Capital Programme Manager. This will be complemented by project support and commissioning capacity, ensuring structured oversight of delivery, prioritisation, risk management and resource alignment across the programme. Together, this provides a sufficient programme infrastructure to manage delivery, interdependencies and pace across system-wide reform activity. A defined core team including the below, alongside the resource from central PMO and service aligned to SEND Transformation and Continuous Improvement work:

• 1 × SEND Reform Programme Manager
• 1 × Capital Programme Manager
• 1 × Commissioning Manager / Contract Lead
• 1 × Project Support Officer

Data, intelligence and performance management Analytical capacity will be strengthened through a dedicated data and evaluation function, including:

• 1 × Evaluation and Impact Analyst
• 2 × Data and Performance Analysts

This provides robust capacity to:

• track progress against key plan measures
• identify risk and variation at an early stage
• inform prioritisation and deployment of resources

This is supported by investment in digital infrastructure, including a dedicated system-wide data and delivery tool, enabling consistent reporting and oversight. Performance reporting will be embedded within programme governance, ensuring that data is routinely used to monitor delivery and drive improvement. System capacity and alignment Existing capacity across education, health and care will be aligned to support delivery of the plan, ensuring that expertise and resources are deployed against shared priorities. Commissioning and capital programme capacity within the transformation team will support the effective mobilisation and oversight of additional provision where required, enabling the system to respond flexibly to demand and reduce pressure on core services.

Co-production and stakeholder engagement Co-production is embedded as a core delivery enabler. Ongoing engagement with children and young people, families, schools and system partners will shape and test implementation, ensuring delivery is informed by lived experience. This includes continued partnership with Essex Family Forum, the Multi- Schools Council, SENDIASS and wider parent/carer support groups to support transparency, shared ownership and alignment across the system. This will be further strengthened by investment in SEND Navigation, roadshows and work with partner agencies. Governance and assurance Delivery will be overseen through aligned governance arrangements across the partnership, including SEND Accountability Board and joint commissioning group. These updated structures will provide effective oversight, challenge and escalation, supported by independent review to ensure governance remains fit for purpose and supports delivery at pace. See Appendix 10 Transformation Programme

8. Other funding Local Authorities.

Block Transfers: If you have made a block transfer (Schools Block to High Needs Block) for 26-27, please set out how your plans for this funding align with the activities outlined above.

The Secretary of State agreed a 1% transfer for 26/27 (£13.1 million). The funding is being used to support the following strategic priorities which align with the implementation of the SEND reform plan:

• Mainstream schools’ access to funding via the inclusion framework which enables them to develop provision and interventions design to meet need earlier and prevent escalation to EHCNA;
• The continuation of the early intervention outreach programmes delivered by Essex special schools and alternative provision schools to

mainstream schools to support reductions in permanent exclusion, escalation to EHCNA and special school placement and to develop the expertise in mainstream school staff;

• To increase the number of places available in specialist provisions in mainstream schools;
• To expand special school places for children and young people with the most severe need to reduce escalation into the independent sector;
• To increase top up funding in mainstream schools to ensure places are maintained and not escalated to special schools.

Capital: We have announced at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to support children and young people (CYP) with SEND, or those requiring alternative provision (AP). This funding is intended to support place delivery across the full 0-25 age range, including early years and post-16. We expect funding to support the following outcomes: a. Inclusion at the core of high needs sufficiency strategy, resulting in more children and young people with SEND accessing suitable places in mainstream settings, across all phases of education b. Every child or young person who needs a place in an inclusion base can access one c. Fewer children and young people with SEND needing to travel a long way to access a suitable placement d. Improved suitability of the mainstream estate to support children and young people with SEND, with adaptations to improve inclusivity and accessibility of the physical environment We also welcome innovative uses of high needs capital to drive inclusion, for example, investment in assistive technology for use in mainstream settings.

Please outline your strategy for how this funding will meet the outcomes above, with reference to the core minimum requirements and other workstreams in this reform plan where appropriate. We would like to see detail around your plans to increase capacity for inclusion bases (formerly known as SEN units, resourced provision and pupil support units – SU/RP/PSUs), such as schools, colleges or early years providers identified, engagement with relevant settings and trusts, and target cohort of needs.

If your plans include increases to places in special schools or specialist post-16 institutions, please include a clear rationale, showing the need that is being met, and why it cannot be met through other types of provision, such as inclusion bases.

If you are receiving additional capital funding to replace one or more planned special or AP free schools, please set out how this funding will meet need in your area, and plans for engaging relevant trusts in your sufficiency planning.

Our SEND Sufficiency plan is underpinned by a strong inclusive mainstream system:

• Consistent implementation of the agreed ‘Ordinarily Available’ provision across all Essex mainstream schools, at universal and targeted levels;
• Delivery of early intervention through the Inclusion Support Offer.

There has been sustained year-on year growth in the population attending Essex’s maintained special schools and special academies (27% increase from 2019/20 to 2025/26). With special schools at and over capacity there has been a consequent rise in the number of children and young people accessing provision via independent special schools and/or independent alternative provision; this has placed further strain on the High Needs Block. Our forecasting tells us that this growth will continue without a change of strategy (a further 27% growth forecast by 2028/29). Any strategic growth in the special school population via already committed investment is focussed on children and young people with the highest levels of need in localities with no current access to special schools without significant travel. Our current capital plans reflect the lack of capacity for ASC/severe learning difficulties driving tribunal appeals. Over the next four years we will move from investment in our maintained special schools/academies to the strategic growth of LA and school/MAT commissioned inclusion bases in mainstream schools and post-16 settings. We will use the DfE high needs capital grant for 26/27 through to 28/29 in the mainstream sector with any committed investment in special schools coming from previous grants, section 106 funding and ECC’s published capital programme. We will continue to support early years providers with financial support for adaptations required to enable inclusion and establish additional funding for larger modifications. We will use our inclusion framework to enable mainstream schools and early years settings to continue to access financial support to enhance their physical environment to support children and young people with SEND (e.g. through sensory spaces). Our indicative investment plan is set out in section 14 of the data template return and covers includes previous, current and future DfE grants, ECC’s capital programme, the legacy investment from the SEND capital programme from the DSG, ECC’s inclusion framework and section 106. Spend is top heavy in already committed special school projects in the first two years and then pivots to scaled up mainstream investment with an expanded age range to cover post-16 settings. We will support our mainstream schools and post-16 colleges to be able to offer appropriate high-quality provision via LA and school/MAT/college commissioned inclusion bases and for our special schools to move towards a more complex cohort across the county:

• Developing a comprehensive SEND workforce development offer;
• Expanding an Essex outreach model, via Experts at Hand, to support inclusion and SEND provision through collaboration between mainstream and specialist

settings and partners;

• Investing in increased capacity/ spaces/ resources for mainstream schools that enables effective local SEND provision. Capital investment will focus on

growth of autism support centres to geographical areas not currently covered and provision in primary and secondary schools for cognition and learning as we move our special schools towards a more complex cohort. As we expand our LA commissioned provision in mainstream schools, we will be able to support a higher number of children and young people in a local provision who would previously have been likely to move into independent provision (our ASC cohort) and children with moderate learning difficulties who were previously transferring to a special school at the start of KS3. The recent development

of LA commissioned provision for more complex cognition and learning needs in mainstream primary schools will continue to be expanded as a bespoke local alternative to special school placement at KS1 and 2.

• Working with Essex special schools and MATs to remodel and reclassify provision to better match need, for example more provision for more complex

cohorts and less special school provision for moderate learning difficulties where that need can be met in mainstream schools. The intention is that over the next four years we reduce new admissions to special schools for children and young people at lower levels of need as we work to support them to be more flexible in the needs they are able to meet.

• Working with our School Organisation Team at a district and quadrant level we layer mainstream forecasting onto capacity pressures in specialist

settings to identify opportunities to match opportunity (the availability of capacity in mainstream schools due to falling roll) to need. We have been able to establish nine new specialist resource bases in mainstream schools since the start of 2025 where spare capacity has been identified in localities where capacity pressure in special schools is acute. These provisions have helped to prevent escalation into independent provision. We will work strategically to identify further priority areas for growth.

• Forecast increases in spend on SEN home to school transport are driven by an increased number of children and young people needing to travel

outside of Essex to access provision in independent special schools and alternative provision. By opening more specialist provisions across areas without access to any provision (e.g. Maldon, Rochford and Uttlesford districts) we offer a high quality local option and reduce the need for longer journeys.

• Strengthen alignment and coherence across post-16 provision types, maintaining consistent quality and oversight across all provision, aligned to

Preparing for Adulthood outcomes. Enhance provision within maintained post-16 colleges for learners with more complex SEMH and Autistic needs to strengthen clear and sustainable progression pathways into adulthood, including post-19 transitions. Expand employment and vocational pathways aligned to local labour market demand.

We do not routinely commission or develop specialist early years settings; our expectation is that all early years providers operate inclusively and make reasonable adjustments to support children with additional needs or SEND. This approach supports children to access universal provision within their local communities and promotes inclusion across the sector. Where individual children require adaptations to a setting, ECC will support providers on a case-by- case basis. This includes:

• Providing capital grants for small-scale premises adaptations, where required
• Supporting providers to remove specific barriers to access and participation

In addition, Essex utilises targeted capital routes where there is clear need, for example:

• Section 106 (S106) funding, where new housing developments create additional demand
• Participation in national programmes such as School-Based Nursery capital
• This ensures that capital investment is needs-led, proportionate, and focused on sufficiency gaps, rather than developing specialist provision.

9. System partner and stakeholder engagement, and co-production.

Please outline how the local area partnership plans to engage system partners and stakeholders to develop and implement the plan – include planned engagement with schools and early years settings, alternative providers, FE and post-16 providers (including those your young people attend that are not within your local area), Parents and Carers and children and young people with SEND, with reference to the core minimum requirements. Consider changing roles and responsibilities in the context of the Schools White Paper and how you work collaboratively to manage the transition. Please indicate where additional support is required to engage partners or stakeholders - senior officials at the Department for Education will be available to contribute to summer term events with education leaders and parent carer forum leaders The Essex SEND Reform Plan has been developed and will be delivered through a structured and embedded model of co-production with system partners and stakeholders. This includes education (early years, schools, alternative provision, FE and post-16 providers, including out-of-area), health, social care, and parents/carers and children and young people with SEND.

Co-production is operationalised through a series of weekly multi-agency workshops which have shaped key elements of the plan, including the Experts at Hand model, vision and design principles. These workshops have enabled partners to test assumptions, agree priorities and refine delivery models using both professional expertise and lived experience. Outputs from these sessions are formally captured and translated into programme decisions through SEND governance structures, ensuring stakeholder input directly informs delivery design, implementation planning and prioritisation.

This approach will continue through a structured forward programme of engagement. From September, themed multi-agency workshops will focus specifically on early years, post-16 and transition pathways, supporting refinement and implementation of priority aspects of the reforms (clusters, sufficiency EAH). Alongside this, a Headteacher Reference Group has been established to provide ongoing system leadership, input and challenge. Headteacher Associations will continue to play a particularly effective role in working alongside the Local Authority, providing practical insight, constructive challenge and credible system leadership to support both the design and delivery of reforms.

Engagement is embedded within the SEND accountability framework at all levels, and will be strengthened through the establishment of local SEND clusters. Clusters will act as the primary mechanism for ongoing engagement with schools and partners, enabling local needs to shape delivery and providing a clear route for issues, feedback and innovation to influence system-level decision-making. This reflects the changing roles and responsibilities set out in the Schools White Paper, with greater emphasis on earlier, needs-led support within mainstream settings.

Parents and carers are central to co-production. The Essex Family Forum (Parent Carer Forum) is a key strategic partner and is supported through sustained Local Authority core funding, enabling consistent involvement in planning, decision-making and review. The voice of children and young people is captured systematically through established mechanisms including the Multi-Schools Council, which provides a strong and representative route for gathering and feeding back CYP views into the programme. This is complemented by Champions for Change, Youth Advisory Boards and engagement through the voluntary and community sector. These insights directly inform decision-making at both programme and strategic level, with clear feedback loops to demonstrate how engagement has influenced outcomes. SENDIASS will support families through the transition and implementation by continuing to provide impartial information, advice and support, enabling families to understand their rights, navigate a changing system and engage confidently in decision-making

Engagement activity is designed to be inclusive and accessible, using a combination of digital and face-to-face approaches, including surveys, community- based sessions, roadshows and Local Offer communications. Activity is co-designed with the Essex Family Forum and partners to improve reach to seldom-heard groups, supported by a wider network of voluntary organisations.

Independent advice and support is provided through Essex SENDIASS, ensuring children, young people and parents/carers can understand their rights and engage effectively with the system. Intelligence from SENDIASS is used to identify systemic issues and inform service improvement and policy decisions.

10. Risks and Mitigations

What are the key risks that could affect the successful implementation of your Local SEND Reform Plan, and what mitigation strategies are in place to manage these risks? Please include a maximum of 5 risks with impact and likelihood RAG for each risk. See Annex C for suggested risk matrix.

disruption to 2026/27) increasing reach despite workforce constraints. However, national shortages mean capacity risk remains in the short term, particularly during transition.

activity.

Continue delivery of the Balanced System, shifting therapy input earlier, embedding strategies into everyday practice (Owner: ICB Therapy Leads; ongoing through 2026/27)

Deliver the EP recruitment and retention strategy, including trainees and grow-your-own pathways (Owner: Principal EP; ongoing through 26/27)

Use associate and interim workforce to stabilise capacity in priority areas (Owner: SROs; reviewed monthly)

Triggers for escalation

Vacancy rates exceed expected thresholds

Waiting times for advice/intervention increase

EAH reach (settings supported) falls below planned trajectory

Likely (60-90%) Amber

Deliver EAH and sufficiency planning through cluster‑based locality models, creating peer support, shared expectations and collective accountability. (Owner: SROs; ongoing milestones through 2026/27)

Use clear, non‑negotiable design principles for EAH and inclusion, while allowing flexibility in delivery. (Owner: SEND Accountability Board; agreed pre- rollout)

Embed assurance and feedback loops (school confidence measures, uptake of advice, repeat requests) to identify and address variation early. (Owner: SROs; reported quarterly)

Inconsistent adoption across localities and settings

Moderate Delivery targets compromised

Risk reduces through structured locality delivery, clear expectations and active assurance, enabling variation to be identified and addressed early. Some variability will persist

to Red Variable engagement and confidence across schools and local areas leads to uneven implementation and a “postcode lottery”

Triggers for escalation

Inability to produce consistent cross-partner reporting

• Delays in dashboard delivery

Lack of evidence on impact to inform decisions

Inability to produce consistent cross-partner reporting

Delays in dashboard delivery

Lack of evidence on impact to inform decisions

Prioritise early, visible wins, such as faster access to advice, fewer “waiting” periods and clearer routes to support. (Owner SRO by Q4 26/27)

Co-produce communications with families and schools to explain what is changing and what is not, reducing anxiety. (Owner SEND Transformation Lead by Q4 26/27)

Use family experience and school confidence feedback as leading indicators, not just statutory metrics. (Owner SRO ongoing through 26/27)

Ensure EAH advice is practical, actionable and timely, reinforcing trust in early support routes. (Owner SRO by Q4 26/27)

SEND IASS provide up to date advice and information for families as trusted point of reference(Owner SENDIASS Manager by Q4 26/27) Triggers for escalation

Confidence and cultural shift does not land early

Moderate Delivery targets compromised

Possible (30-60%)

Amber Risk reduces through visible early impact and proactive communication, building confidence in early support. Behavioural change takes time, so risk remains during early implementation.

to Red If early benefits are not visible, schools and families continue to escalate via statutory routes.

• Increase in EHCNA requests or complaints
• Negative feedback from families or schools
• Low awareness or understanding of EAH

Amber • Maintain pace of reform plan development and sign-off to DfE timelines (Owner: SEND Transformation Lead; by June 26)

Ongoing financial monitoring and scenario planning (Owner: Finance, SROs; monthly)

Strengthen confidence in plan quality through engagement with DfE advisers (Owner: SEND Transformation Lead; by June 26) Triggers for escalation

Financial Risk Should the High Needs Stability Grant not be awarded in Autumn 2026 following submission of the SEND Reform Plan, not only will the Council miss out on approximately £22m in grant funding in 2026/27, it will lead to additional borrowing costs of around £0.5m in order to finance the SEND deficit.

Moderate

Possible (30-60%)

Risk reduces as plan quality and deliverability are assured through DfE engagement and governance. Final funding decision remains external, so some risk persists.

• Negative feedback from DfE on plan quality
• Slippage in submission timelines
• Deterioration in DSG position

11. Dependencies

Please detail the key areas of the local area partnership’s proposed SEND future state and roadmap that may be impacted by wider reforms nationally and locally and outline how you will manage these. We expect these will include but not be limited to:

• NHS reforms
• Local Government Re-organisation
• Reforms to Children’s Social Care
• Best Start in Life, including Family Hubs
• Best Start In Life Strategy
• Curriculum and Assessment Review

11.1 NHS Reforms Locally, NHS Essex ICB formed on 1st April 2026 continues to have consistent strong SEND leadership and governance and has identified SEND as a key priority within it’s Population Health Improvement Plan for 2026-2031. The change in the function and role of the ICB may lead to a short term uncertainty around commissioning responsibilities, workforce roles and a risk of reduced pace if capacity is temporarily reduced. How we will manage this:

• Early and sustained engagement with our ICB partner, ensuring that SEND is embedded within NHS planning at Place level.
• Maintaining strong SEND governance with clear escalation routes to ICB leadership.
• Aligning SEND priorities with ICB operating plans and ensure SEND remains a standing agenda item within joint forums.
• Maintaining and strengthening joint commissioning arrangements and shared performance reporting throughout transition periods.

11.2 Reforms to Children’s Social Care The Families First Partnership Programme is providing us with opportunities to reshape our Family Help offer and early-stage information, advice and guidance via the new Integrated Front Door. We intend to use FFPP as a vehicle as develop an enhanced targeted early help offer for families with children with disabilities and additional needs. How we will manage this:

Alignment of FFPP developments with the Best Start Programme to maximise on the potential to offer early intervention and support from community-based Hubs

Targeting of additional FFPP early help resource to evidenced areas of need drawing on combined data from social care and education covering SEND and disadvantage

Review of Inclusion Strategy and consideration of how the Inclusion Framework can contribute to the decision making and the support offer within the Integrated Front Door

Considering how to enhance our support offer to educational settings around the broad spectrum of need within family help

Multi-agency governance and workstream arrangements to support work around FFPP which account for alignment with other key reforms, including for SEND 11.3 Local Government Re-Organisation LGR in Essex proposes a move to 5 LAs, which will change governance structures, roles and accountability. How we will manage this:

Work with our counter parts within Southend and Thurrock at appropriate times to ensure alignment between plans

Ensure SEND reform plans are overseen by system-level governance rather than single organisational structures (SEND Accountability Board)

Maintain continuity through clear Senior Responsible Ownership

Use the phased three-year programme to continually review direction of travel and alignment organisational structures, enabling reform to continue through transition.

Have the future footprint in mind when designing locality structures and delivery models

11.5 Best Start in Life and Family Hubs Expansion of Family Hubs and Best Start reforms will shape early identification and support pathways. How we will manage this:

• Position early years EAH input within and alongside Family Hubs to strengthen early, non-statutory support.
• Ensure consistent pathways between early years, education and health so children do not fall into escalation due to system boundaries.
• Align SEND early identification, SEN Support and EAH activity explicitly with Best Start priorities.
• Use shared outcomes and data to demonstrate collective impact rather than parallel delivery.

Section 3 – Monitoring and Evaluation

• How will the local area partnership know delivery is on track?

Please set out how you will monitor and track progress referencing:

• Monitoring tools and processes - the specific tools, systems, and data you will use to track delivery milestones and measure

the impact on outcomes.

Some Local Area Partnerships hold data in a central SEND operational dashboard. This is used by teams on a weekly basis to identify trends in demand or inform conversations with local school or setting leaders.

In some Local Area Partnerships, a view of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is reviewed monthly by a SEND Board to take decisions on prioritisation, resourcing and delivery of services informed by regular data.

Please set out how you will use data to track demand (e.g., EHCP applications for assessment), Service delivery (e.g., Speech and Language Specialists deployment; places created), Service quality (e.g., parental satisfaction) and outputs (e.g., pupil attendance; pupil exclusions)

• Feedback and adaptation mechanisms - what feedback loops and stakeholder input you will use to review progress and adjust

your approach.

The Essex SEND Partnership will monitor delivery of the Local SEND Reform Plan through a combination of integrated data, performance review and feedback from children, families and partners. This builds on existing reporting across education, health and care, strengthened through shared metrics and more structured use of insight to inform decisions and adjust delivery in real time.

A multi-agency SEND performance dashboard will be the core monitoring tool. This will bring together existing education, social care and health data (working with the NHS Essex ICB), with a Year 1 focus on establishing a core set of shared indicators and baselines aligned to the reform success measures. Integration will be developed further over time.

The dashboard will track:

• Need: EHCNA requests, EHCP growth and complexity
• Delivery: reach and uptake of Experts at Hand ,including therapy and EP input, sufficiency of provision
• Quality: parental confidence, satisfaction and lived experience
• Outcomes: attendance, exclusions, participation, attainment and preparation for adulthood

Health data will be incorporated alongside education and social care data to provide a joined-up view of access, activity and outcomes, enabling partners to prioritise and respond collectively.

In Year 1, success measures will be tracked through live dashboard indicators and targeted deep-dives, with a focus on leading indicators (e.g. access to advice, waiting times, school confidence and early help use). These will be used actively to drive decisions, including reallocating resource, targeting support to specific localities and adjusting delivery where impact is not being seen. The dashboard will be reviewed:

• Bi-monthly at the SEND Accountability Board to drive system oversight and challenge
• Quarterly through formal reporting, including DfE returns
• Locally within clusters to inform place-based decisions and early intervention

This will be complemented by clear feedback loops, with a focus on how insight leads to change:

Families and young people provide feedback through Essex Family Forum, Multi-Schools Council, Family Feedback COG and targeted engagement, with themes translated into specific delivery changes (e.g. communication, access routes, support offer)

Schools and partners feed in through clusters and professional networks, informing targeted support, guidance and workforce deployment

Quality assurance activity (inclusion reviews, thematic audits) identifies variation and drives improvement actions, which are tracked through the dashboard

This ensures monitoring is not just descriptive, but actively drives improvement, with data and feedback used to identify issues early, target response and maintain focus on impact.

13. Reporting to DfE

Using the attached data template, the local area partnership is required to provide quarterly data returns to DfE against selected key metrics. DfE will, in turn, provide quarterly data reports with visualised analysis and benchmarking that will support your local delivery, monitoring and evaluation. This will include data the department holds on Attendance, Exclusions, and Unauthorised

absence.

Please use the attached data template to upload your initial data return to DfE.

***Insert Document Upload Link***

Section 4 – Governance

• How will the local area partnership ensure delivery of plans remain on track?

Please outline the governance structures in place to oversee delivery. Clearly set out who is responsible for overseeing reform delivery, what each governance group or individual is accountable for, and how these arrangements ensure progress is monitored and decisions are made transparently. Please identify where the named SRO for the Local SEND Reform Plan sits within the governance structure and ensure your response incorporates the core minimum requirements.

Responsible for outputs, delivery milestones and continuous improvement. Ensure lived experience directly informs design, delivery and evaluation

Family Forum (PCF) and Multi-Schools Council (Chaired by relevant workstream lead)

and management of risks and issues

SEND Accountability Board

If you have a diagram to show the relationship between these governance mechanisms, please upload this here.

See appendix 9 Governance map visual

Section 5 – Central Government Support

15. How can we help you?

Please outline any practical support you need from central government to implement your plan effectively.

This may include:

• Access to specialist expertise or advisory support
• Help with workforce development or recruitment challenges
• Tools or templates to support data collection, reporting, or evaluation
• Facilitation of peer learning or regional collaboration
• Support with system-level coordination across education, health, and care
• Guidance on navigating regulatory or policy barriers

To support successful delivery of the Local SEND Reform Plan, the Essex SEND Partnership would benefit from continued and targeted support from central government in the following areas:

• Clarity and pace of national policy development

Timely publication of detailed guidance on Experts at Hand, inclusion standards and funding arrangements will support confident and consistent local implementation.

• Workforce support and national pipelines

National approaches to addressing workforce shortages in Educational Psychology, therapies and specialist roles will be critical to delivering earlier intervention at scale.

• Data and analytical tools

Access to standardised tools, benchmarks and dashboards will support consistent tracking of demand, outcomes and value for money across local areas.

• Peer learning and system leadership support

Opportunities for structured collaboration across local area partnerships, including sharing best practice and implementation learning, will accelerate improvement.

• National engagement and accountability for Multi-Academy Trusts

Stronger national expectations and levers to ensure Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), particularly those operating across multiple local areas, actively engage with and contribute to local SEND reform programmes. This includes clarity on the role of MATs within local area partnerships, alignment of accountability frameworks, and mechanisms to secure consistent participation in local inclusion, early intervention and transformation activity.

Annex B - Supporting Documents

Annex C – Risk Matrix