Reimagining SEND support: EHCPs under review
As the Schools North East Inclusion Conference 2025 approaches next week, a crucial conversation is unfolding nationally regarding the future of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support.
Dame Christine Lenehan, the Department for Education’s (DfE) strategic adviser on SEND and a keynote speaker at the conference, has raised significant questions about the effectiveness of the current system, particularly the role of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
Are EHCPs the “right vehicle” to go forward?
Speaking at the Schools and Academies Show and to Tes and Schools Week yesterday (15 May), Dame Christine highlighted the DfE’s active consideration of whether EHCPs remain the “right vehicle” for supporting children with SEND.
Introduced in 2014 as part of broader SEND reforms, EHCPs replaced the previous Statements of SEN. However, Dame Christine questioned their continued suitability, stating, “We are considering whether EHCPs are the right vehicle to go forward. They were introduced in 2014; is this the right system for supporting children’s needs?”
Her comments followed a panel discussion where she indicated that forthcoming reforms from the government, expected after a major consultation, aim to address the “bureaucratic nightmare we seem to have got ourselves into, which is actually unhelpful and doesn’t deliver the outcomes for children that we want.”
Dame Christine expressed a strong view that the current EHCP system is not operating as intended. Originally designed for a small cohort of children with complex needs requiring integrated support from education, health, and care services, the system has “expanded and expanded.”
She suggested that a significant proportion of pupils with EHCPs primarily require “really good, focused education” rather than extensive health and care involvement. This expansion, she argued, has led to local authorities allocating substantial resources to develop plans that schools often struggle to implement and that lack practical utility for those involved.
Hear from Dame Christine at the Inclusion Conference 2025
These critical reflections on the current SEND landscape underscore the timely and vital nature of the upcoming Schools North East Inclusion Conference 2025. Taking place next Thursday, 22 May, this conference offers a crucial platform for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders from across the North East and beyond to engage in these very discussions.
The participation of Dame Christine Lenehan as a keynote speaker at the conference provides a unique opportunity for attendees to hear directly from a key figure shaping the future of SEND in England. Her insights into the evolving reform agenda and her deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the system will be invaluable for those working to improve outcomes for children with SEND.
The Inclusion Conference will be a vital space to explore potential solutions, share best practices, and collectively consider how the education system can better support inclusion and ensure that all children receive the high-quality education they deserve.
The insights shared by Dame Christine Lenehan and the collaborative discussions among attendees will undoubtedly contribute to shaping a more responsive and effective SEND system for the future.
In addition to Dame Christine, we’ll also hear from Emma Smith (Independent Adviser, ESC Management Services) on supporting pupils with physical health needs; Zoe Lightfoot (Senior HMI, Maintained Schools & Academies, Ofsted) on improving the way Ofsted inspects education including AP, SEND and Inclusion; and Hayley O’Sullivan (Principal Associate, Browne Jacobson) on latest legal insights on SEND and inclusion. View the full programme here.
Don’t miss this crucial opportunity to be part of the conversation. Join us next Thursday and contribute to shaping a better future for SEND provision in England. Book now.