Despite significant SEND reforms introduced in 2014 that were supposed to improve children’s and families’ experience of the system, 10 years on and the SEND system is in crisis. As we at SNJ have previously reported many times, a range of proposals are currently being tested in the national SEND and AP improvement programme in an attempt to fix this issue. However, there is widespread scepticism as to whether this will address the fundamental problems that are occurring across the sector.
Schools are experiencing significant challenges in meeting pupil needs with rising staffing costs, diminishing support and narrower accountability. Parents are increasingly distrustful of schools’ and local authorities’ ability to meet their children’s needs and feel driven to requesting statutory assessments to ensure proper provision is made. Local authorities are experiencing huge increases in statutory activity, and most are struggling to meet needs within the funding provided by central government (even though this has grown significantly over the last 5-6 years).
We now have a new Labour government that will need to rapidly get to grips with the issues and come up with any proposals for change of its own. They are unlikely to have the luxury of carrying out another fundamental SEND review.
To help policymakers focus on what’s important, the SEN Policy Research Forum has produced an accessible framework. It summarises the issues policy should address, details what is wrong with the current system and offers suggestions about what needs to happen to improve it. The proposals go beyond the limited focus of the SEND/AP improvement programme and think more broadly about the wider issues.
Who are SEN Policy Research Forum?
The SEN Policy Research Forum originally started as the SEN Policy Options Group, running an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) seminar series with funding from the Cadbury Trust in 1993. The group is co-ordinated by a lead group of academics, consultants and professionals working in SEND roles. I am involved as a parent representative and doctoral researcher.
The forum holds two or three seminar events per year, where invited speakers present on a particular topic, followed by a Q&A session and then wider discussion about the topic between all seminar attendees. Following the seminar, a seminar paper is drafted and all papers going back to 1993 have been made freely available on the website. Anyone can join the forum, attend seminar events and participate in discussions via their blog. See here for more information.
The SEN Policy Research Forum’s National Policy Framework for SEND and inclusion
The SEN Policy Research Forum, through its seminars and other activities, has significant evidence-based resources that can be drawn on to inform analysis and future directions. These resources are based on evidence and collective professional and lived experience. Drawing on this research evidence and a wide range of perspectives, the forum has produced a draft framework to support policymakers that they’ve been using in discussions with other organisations with a shared interest in positive change. They are keen to know what Special Needs Jungle readers think of the framework (see below for details of how you can let us know your thoughts).
The Framework is available on the SEN Policy Research Forum website to download. It is important to note that the framework doesn’t try to be comprehensive and has limited coverage of aspects that have tended to be emphasised by more recent SEND reforms, e.g., the importance of parental involvement and co-production, and effective interagency links. However, it reflects significant concerns about the continuing disconnections between national policy for SEND and inclusion and the thrust and focus of education policy more generally.
What are the framework’s key areas?
The framework identifies five key areas for policy development in SEND and inclusion:
- Values
- Curriculum, assessment and teaching
- Funding
- Support
- Workforce development
Under each of these five key areas, the framework summarises the current picture and the degree to which the current SEND & AP proposals are likely to support positive progress. Finally, it sets out developments that the Forum feels would make a more substantial difference to pupil outcomes and parent/school/local authority experience.
It’s intended to be easily accessible to policymakers and those without a specialist research background. Consequently, it loses some detail in terms of evidence base and examples of recommended practice. Key references are available for those who are interested in reading further. However, the Forum hopes it provides a useful basis for considering more positive ways forward that draw on a reasonable level of consensus.
What do you think of the framework?
We at SNJ are keen to hear your thoughts on the framework so that we can feedback thoughts on the content.
- What do you think is good about the framework?
- Are there any aspects you disagree with?
- What do you think is missing?
- Do you think it includes the right focus areas?
- Will it make a difference to children and young people’s lives and outcomes?
- Do you have any other comments?
Let us know your thoughts via our email. Add: FAO Sharon Smith SENPRF in the subject.
Also read:
- How does the the SEND Improvement Plan intend to create more accountability?
- WEBINAR RECORDING: Will the SEND Improvement Plan fix provision for disabled children and young people?
- Will non-statutory National Standards improve SEND or just create confusion and more unlawful behaviour?
- Will the SEND and AP Improvement Plan improve the lives of 16-25 year olds with SEND?
- The Government’s SEND Improvement Plan: SNJ’s initial overview
- SEND and alternative provision improvement plan
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- Beyond EHCPs: Why Inclusion Needs More Than a Document - September 11, 2026
- Why every child deserves Portage, wherever they’re born - July 24, 2026
- When hope has been drained, families struggle to trust promises to fix SEND - April 14, 2026
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