SEND WHITE PAPER

As many of you are aware, the SEND White Paper has been released today, and contains proposals for reforming the SEND system in England, along with a public consultation. 

It is important to note that this is still very early on in the process, and these are still just proposals at this stage.

Here are the most important things to know:

• The publication of the White Paper does not change existing SEND law.
• Your child/young person’s rights remain in place, and there will be no immediate change to the support, provision or legal rights your child or young person currently has.

Once the White Paper has been published, there will be a 12-week consultation. This gives families, charities and professionals the opportunity to respond and influence what happens next.

Once the consultation is closed, any proposed changes still have to go through the legal process before they come into force.

For now, nothing should change (including EHC needs Assessments, EHC Plans or SEN Support). If you are told differently, then this would be incorrect.

If you are concerned, want to receive updates, or would like to know how you can be involved with the consultation, you can:

• sign up as a member to the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum (WSPCF) for updates and to find out how they will be collecting your thoughts, views and voices in response to the White Paper consultation.  In the meantime please do email them directly at office@wspcf.org.uk
• sign up to the Reaching Families Facebook group for parents to get peer/emotional support.  There are also Umbrella Parent Support Groups, run by Reaching Families over the next few months.

You may also find this guide from the Council for Disabled Children helpful, in understanding the process of how a law gets made.

West Sussex SENDIAS will also send further updates, once there is more to report.