Government approves Hampshire's three-year SEND support reform plan

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 04:02 · Archive

The government has approved a three-year plan to overhaul support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Hampshire.

The government has approved a major plan to overhaul support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Hampshire. The three-year reform scheme, called The Future of SEND in Hampshire, was developed by the SEND Local Area Partnership, which includes Hampshire County Council, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, parent and carer forums, education settings and voluntary organisations.

The plan aims to deliver earlier and more joined-up support across education, health and social care, with system-wide changes targeted by 2029. It focuses on improving access to timely support, strengthening collaboration between services, and increasing opportunities for children and families to help shape services.

Cllr Juliet Henderson, cabinet lead member for children's services at Hampshire County Council, said: 'We know that many families want support to be easier to access, better joined up across services, and available earlier when concerns first arise. This plan is our long-term commitment to work collaboratively with families, schools, colleges, health services and community partners to build a system where every child gets the right support at the right time.'

Paul Richardson, chair of the Hampshire Parent and Carer Network, said the approval was an important step but that 'the real work of developing and implementing the plans and policies starts' now, with the forum working to ensure parents' voices continue to shape implementation.

Government approves Hampshire's three-year SEND support reform plan — Image: Southern Daily Echo

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How it is being reported

Hampshire SEND support reform plan approvedA major shake-up of SEND support has been given the go-aheadSouthern Daily Echo · 13 Oct, 03:30
Government approves major plan to transform SEND support in HampshireThe scheme, called The Future of SEND in Hampshire, outlines how government SEND reforms will be delivered in the county.Andover Advertiser · 12 Oct, 12:00

In this story: Hampshire County Council · NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight · Juliet Henderson · Paul Richardson · Hampshire

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