Government approves Somerset’s SEND Reform Plan

The decision unlocks significant investment to strengthen support and improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across the county.

The approval (Friday 2 October) will support earlier help, greater inclusion in mainstream education and mean more joined-up services for children, young people and their families.

The agreement includes investment in Somerset’s Experts at Hand programme, more than 50 additional specialist staff, and Government funding to meet 90% of the Council’s historic Dedicated Schools Grant deficit which has remained a significant financial risk for the Council.

The funding contribution is approximately £95 million and will support clearing the balance which otherwise would have to be funded by the Council.

More than 50 additional specialists will work locally with early years settings, schools, and colleges to help children and young people aged 0 to 25 receive the right support as early as possible.

The expanded teams will provide expertise in areas including social, emotional, and mental health; autism and communication; cognition and learning; sensory processing and regulation; educational psychology; speech and language therapy; neurodiversity; and occupational therapy.

The reforms will be delivered through the Somerset SEND Partnership, bringing together education, health and care services, schools and settings, parent carers, and children and young people. This shared approach will support better outcomes while helping to build a more inclusive and financially sustainable SEND system for the future.

Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Children, Families and Education, Cllr Heather Shearer, said:

This is an important vote of confidence in Somerset’s plans to transform SEND services.

The investment will help us provide more support at an earlier stage, strengthen local provision, and enable more children and young people to learn, thrive, and achieve in their communities.

We know families want support that is timely, consistent, and easier to access. We will continue working alongside children, young people, parent carers, and our partners to turn this plan into lasting improvements.

Ruth Hobbs, CEO of Somerset Parent Carer Forum, said:

We welcome the approval of Somerset’s SEND Reform Plan and recognise the opportunity this plan provides to improve early support, strengthen inclusion in mainstream settings and create a more joined-up SEND system across Somerset.

The approval of the plan is only the beginning. Families will rightly want to see meaningful improvements in their day-to-day experiences, including timely access to support, better communication and greater consistency across education, health and care.

We will continue to work constructively with Somerset Council, health partners, education settings and families to ensure that the commitments in the plan translate into real and lasting improvements for children, young people and parent carers across Somerset.

Chair of the Children and Education Scrutiny Committee at Somerset Council, Cllr Leigh Redman said:

This is welcome news and reflects a significant amount of work by officers, partners, parent representatives and members. However, approval should not be mistaken for a conclusion. The assessment letter makes clear that Somerset must now demonstrate stronger delivery, oversight and assurance arrangements, alongside clear evidence that children and families are seeing the benefits.

I will continue to ensure progress is subject to robust scrutiny. Families have waited a long time for improvements and the focus must now be on delivery, accountability and measurable outcomes rather than plans and structures alone.

The biggest test will be whether children and young people with SEND receive better support, at the right time, closer to home and with greater confidence in the system. That is the standard against which success should be judged.

Government support for 90% of the historic deficit provides an important financial reset, giving a stronger foundation from which to deliver sustainable SEND services. The Council will now work with its partners to deliver the plan and keep families, schools and settings informed as the reforms progress.