In this blog, you will learn:
Why this SEND and Inclusion, Mediator, Advocate and Consultant believes the digitisation of EHCPs has the power to transform the SEND industry.
The risks involved in the Schools White Paper, according to this SEND and Inclusion Mediator, Advocate and Consultant.
How to find and apply for the best SEND jobs.
As the number of children and young people with EHCPs continues to rise, there is increasing discussion about whether digitising EHCP processes could help improve the way the SEND system works.
We recently spoke to Tarun, a SEND and Inclusion Mediator, Advocate and Consultant, about whether the Schools White Paper can deliver on its ambition for every child to ‘achieve and thrive'.
Throughout the interview, Tarun discusses the risks facing the Schools White Paper, as well as the potential benefits of digitising EHCP processes and strengthening early intervention.
What are your initial thoughts on the Schools White Paper and the direction it sets for the future of SEND provision?
The Schools White Paper sets out a vision for the future of SEND provision and in many ways it’s a direction that has been needed for some time. The system appears fragmented, inconsistent and too dependent on families who may have to challenge what the law already entitles them to.
The ambition is welcome, but ambition alone doesn’t deliver change; capacity, clarity and culture do. What stands out most is the effort to bring coherence to a landscape that has become increasingly adversarial.
National standards, early intervention and a more joined-up approach across education, health and care are all sensible, welcome steps.The real question is whether the system has the capacity to deliver them.
The government proposes digitising EHCP processes and creating a more streamlined system. How realistic do you think this is in practice?
The proposal to digitise EHCP processes is interesting. Anyone who has worked inside a local authority knows how much time is spent on paper-based systems, inconsistent templates and email chains.
A well designed digital platform could transform transparency, timeliness and accountability. However digitisation doesn’t solve the underlying issues.
A digital form doesn’t magically create Educational Psychologists or reduce caseloads. It also doesn’t fix the perceived cultural tension between ‘needs-led’ and ‘resource-led’ decision-making.
A poorly implemented system could add friction rather than remove it. The workforce will have to be trained in the new technology.
Do you think mainstream settings are currently equipped to meet the government's plans to improve inclusion and accessibility? What do you think needs to change?
The Schools White Paper assumes a level of readiness in mainstream settings that isn’t there yet. Most schools want to be inclusive and care deeply about their pupils. However, inclusion requires more than goodwill.
Inclusion in mainstream settings requires:
Time.
Training.
Specialist input.
Flexible curriculum pathways.
Enough adults in the room to meet needs without burning out staff.
Too many schools are trying to deliver complex provision with budgets that are under strain and needs that are rising. If we want mainstream inclusion to be meaningful rather than rhetorical, we need to invest in the people in educational settings who make it possible.
The government wants all schools to join or form Multi-Academy Trusts. How might this structural change impact SEND delivery at a local level?
The expectation that all schools will join or form Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) is one of the most significant structural shifts in the Schools White Paper.
In theory, MATs could bring consistency, shared expertise and economies of scale that benefit SEND learners. However, the risk is equally clear: variation between trusts could become the new postcode lottery.
Local authorities are already stretched and they may find themselves coordinating with dozens of autonomous organisations, each with its own culture, priorities and interpretation of ‘inclusion.’
The success of this reform will depend on whether MATs see SEND as a strategic priority rather than a compliance exercise.
Do you feel the Schools White Paper adequately addresses current workforce pressures within schools and local authorities?
If there is one area where the Schools White Paper has focused thinking, it is the workforce.
Every part of the SEND system, from schools, local authorities and health partners to alternative provision settings, is grappling with shortages.
That includes professionals such as Educational Psychologists, specialist teachers, Occupational Therapists, Caseworkers and Speech and Language Therapists. The pipeline simply isn’t keeping pace with demand.
Without a long-term workforce strategy, reforms risk being aspirational rather than actionable. We need a stable workforce to deliver early intervention and reduce EHCP demand by meeting needs sooner.
We must also improve attendance by strengthening pastoral support and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) teams to help children who are struggling.
How will early intervention plans and alternative provision reforms reduce demand for EHCPs and tribunal appeals over the long term?
The Schools White Paper is right to focus on early intervention and a reformed alternative provision system. If done well, these reforms could reduce the pressure on EHCPs and tribunals by addressing needs before they escalate.
Early intervention must be timely, accessible, specialist and properly funded. If early help becomes another waiting list, families will continue to pursue EHCPs as the only guaranteed route to support.
How do you think the Schools White Papers ambition for every child to ‘achieve and thrive’ could be realistically achieved in practice?
Improving attendance for children with SEND is a worthy ambition, but it requires a shift in mindset. Persistent absence is rarely about defiance. More often, it is about anxiety, unmet needs, sensory overload, or a curriculum that doesn’t feel accessible.
You cannot expect to change things by only managing attendance when needs remain unmet. You have to meet the assessed needs.
What elements of the Schools White Paper surprised you the most?
The scale of structural reform, particularly the universal MAT expectation, is striking. So too is the commitment to national SEND standards and a digital EHCP system. These are not minor adjustments; they are system-level redesigns.
What elements of the Schools White Paper do you think are most at risk of failing?
I believe any part of the Schools White Paper that depends on substantial workforce capacity is at risk. I think those most at risk include EHCP timeliness, early intervention, attendance improvement and the consistent implementation of national standards.
The current system is already stretched and reform without targeted resourcing is reform in name only.
Looking ahead, what do you think will be the most successful element of the Schools White Paper?
If I had to pick one area with the greatest chance of success, it would be the digitisation of EHCPs. It’s tangible, measurable and with the right design, it could be genuinely transformative.
Early intervention also has long-term potential, but only if the substantive workforce and funding follow.
Can the Schools White Paper deliver on its ambition for every child to achieve and thrive?
The Schools White Paper sets out a vision in which every child can ‘achieve and thrive’. That’s a powerful ambition and one we should all share. But thriving isn’t achieved through policy alone.
It’s achieved through people: teachers, support staff, therapists, leaders and families, all working in a system that gives them the tools, time and trust to do their jobs well.
If the reforms outlined in the Schools White Paper strengthen that foundation, the system will move forward. If they don’t, we risk another cycle of well-intentioned policy that never quite reaches the children it was written for.
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