Flagship policies proposed in a major government review to fix the broken SEND system won鈥檛 be rolled out nationwide until potentially 2026, government has announced today. The Department for Education will publish its delayed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) improvement plan this morning in response to a review first launched 1,274 days ago in September 2019. The green paper, published in March last year, proposed legislation to create new national SEND standards, as there has been 鈥渢oo much local discretion鈥. It also put forward plans for controversial 鈥渢ailored lists鈥 of schools for parents of SEND children to choose from, as well as digitised education, health and care plans and mandatory mediation when parents dispute a council鈥檚 decision. In the original review, the DfE said it would support delivery through a 拢70 million 鈥渃hange programme to both test and refine key proposals and support local SEND systems across the country to manage local improvement鈥. Today, the department confirmed this process will take two to three years, with only 鈥渟elected local authorities鈥 testing the proposals set out in its improvement plan. This means reforms will not be rolled out nationwide until potentially 2026. No new legislation will be enacted in this parliament. Unions said they are 鈥測et to see anything to suggest the government understands the gravity of the situation and the urgency with which they need to act鈥. Confederation of School Trusts chief executive Leora Cruddas welcomed many of the proposals, adding: 鈥淲e do need to take the time to get these important reforms right, but we must also better support children and families in need today.” In a press release, the department said the new SEND system would be 鈥渦nderpinned by new national SEND and AP standards鈥. There will be 鈥渘ew guides for professionals鈥 on the standards, including 鈥渉ow to make adjustments to classrooms to help a child remain in mainstream education鈥. However, it is not clear when or if the new standards will become statutory, as originally promised. Proposals for 鈥渄igital-first鈥 EHCPs and a new NPQ for SENCos are going ahead. But the DfE said it was 鈥渆xploring options for strengthening mediation鈥 by testing mediation approaches, before deciding whether to bring forward legislation to make it mandatory. The reforms will be tested by up to nine 鈥渞egional expert partnerships鈥 each made up of three to four 鈥渓ocal areas鈥. This will include piloting of the new standards. DfE said this meant trialling in 30 areas, which could increase to between 50 and 60 during the programme. Meanwhile, thirty councils – mainly those with large high needs deficits – have been approved for new special free schools as part of a previously committed 拢2.6 billion investment for specialist places. Schools Week revealed in September that just one of a previous wave of promised special free schools had actually opened in a permanent home. There will also be a 鈥渘ew approach鈥 to alternative provision to prepare children to 鈥渞eturn to mainstream鈥 schools or 鈥減repare for adulthood鈥. AP specialist taskforces will be extended, backed by a 拢4.8 million investment. Government also pointed to the increased funding it has provided for the high needs budget, up to just over 拢10 billion this year. Children鈥檚 minister Claire Coutinho said the plan 鈥渟ets out systemic reforms鈥 so that 鈥渆very child gets the help they need鈥. Margaret Mulholland, SEND specialist at heads鈥 union ASCL, welcomed changes but said 鈥渨e are concerned about the length of time it is going to take to implement some of these policies鈥. 鈥淚t has taken an awfully long time to get to this point… We are yet to see anything to suggest the government understands the gravity of the situation and the urgency with which they need to act.鈥 Paul Whiteman, general secretary of heads鈥 union NAHT, said: 鈥淲hile there can be value in piloting different approaches, action and investment is also needed now so that children in large parts of the country are not left behind.”