Cabinet backs Birmingham's three-year plan to reform SEND support

Birmingham's plan to change the way children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities are supported was considered by the city council's cabinet on Tuesday, clearing the way for work to begin.

The Local SEND Reforms Plan had already been approved by the Department for Education earlier this month. It sets out how the city will improve support and outcomes over the next three years, and prepares Birmingham for the government's proposed national reforms to the SEND system.

The plan was drawn up jointly by education, health and social care services and the Birmingham Parent Carer Forum, which represents families of children with SEND.

Earlier help in schools

The council says the programme will focus on intervening earlier, making mainstream schools more inclusive, increasing specialist support and creating more local places to meet growing demand. More than £21 million of government funding has already been secured for 2026/27 to pay for it.

A central part of the plan is a new model called Experts at Hand, which is designed to give schools, nurseries and other early years settings, and colleges and sixth forms earlier access to specialist advice. The council says it will help more children get the support they need in their own communities, rather than waiting until problems escalate.

The plan also continues investment in specialist places. Since 2024 the city has opened 17 new resource bases, which are specialist units attached to mainstream schools, creating 416 additional places, and the council says specialist provision will continue to expand.

"An important milestone"

Councillor Kamel Hawwash, the cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: "Today marks an important milestone in Birmingham's journey to create a more inclusive and sustainable SEND system. We want every child and young person with SEND to receive the right support, at the right time, as close to home as possible."

"The reforms represent a significant change for our city and will require all of us, across education, health, care and local government, to work differently and more closely together," he said.

"This plan sets out how we will work with partners, schools and families to improve outcomes, build local capacity to ensure children and young people can feel supported, valued and able to achieve their full potential."

A long road

SEND services in Birmingham have been under intense pressure for several years, with families waiting long periods for assessments and education, health and care plans, and growing numbers of children travelling out of the city for specialist places. Inspectors have previously raised serious concerns about the speed and quality of support.

The council says the delivery plan now moves into its next phase, with programmes of work continuing through to 2029. Information about the support available to families is published on the city's Local Offer website.