The SEND Reforms are a national programme designed to improve outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, while creating a more inclusive education system.
In Leicestershire, the reforms are focused on making sure children and young people with SEND get the right support, at the right time, as close to home as possible, enabling them to belong, achieve and thrive within their local communities. This means:
- strengthening mainstream provision
- improving access to specialist support
- increasing local specialist places
- working more closely with families, education providers, health services and community partners
The reforms aim to make inclusion everyone's responsibility.
Leicestershire is creating a system where more children and young people can be educated within their local communities and maintain connections with friends, family and local services:
- through investment in additional specialist bases, within mainstream schools
- expansion of specialist provision
- workforce development and stronger partnership working
Alongside improving educational outcomes, the reforms seek to increase family confidence, reduce waiting times and unnecessary travel, improve attendance and participation, and ensure that support is delivered consistently across the county.
Leicestershire's vision is for every child and young person with SEND to belong, achieve and thrive in their local community, supported by a more inclusive, confident and sustainable SEND system.
More information can be found at Every child achieving and thriving (GOV.UK).
Experts at hand
A key part of this work is the Experts at Hand model, which brings specialist expertise directly into schools, early years settings and colleges to help staff meet children's needs earlier and more effectively:
The experts at hand model
The model brings specialist expertise closer to the professionals working with children and young people every day.
Rather than relying on lengthy referral processes or waiting for specialist services to become involved, schools and settings can access advice, coaching, guidance and practical support from a range of specialists, including educational psychologists, speech and language professionals, specialist teachers, health practitioners and inclusion specialists.
At the heart of Experts at Hand is a coach and grow approach. Specialists work alongside staff within mainstream settings to build confidence, develop skills and strengthen inclusive practice. This helps education providers identify and support needs earlier, making sure children and young people get the right support at the right time, as close to home as possible.
The aim is to create a more inclusive system where expertise is shared, staff feel confident in meeting a wider range of needs, and more children and young people can thrive in their local community without unnecessary escalation to specialist services or statutory processes.