Islington Council invests £1.56m in SEND reforms, but details remain a concern

Islington Council has committed £1.56 million to its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reforms, aiming to create a more inclusive and consistent system for children with special needs. The investment for 2026-27 will primarily fund the 'Experts at Hand' initiative, which aims to provide specialist expertise closer to schools, and workforce development.

An illustration depicting the concept of equity, showing three children of different heights standing on boxes to see over a fence and watch a soccer game, with text stating 'EQUITY: Recognising different needs' and 'Different support to meet needs, equal opportunity.'
Equity illustrationSource: Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee papers, 1 October 2026

The reforms align with national SEND reform agendas, focusing on early intervention, strengthening mainstream provision, and ensuring children receive the right support at the right time. Councillor Sheila Chapman, Executive Member for Children, Young People & Families, stated that the council supports the direction of travel for the reforms, which are intended to reduce reliance on formal diagnoses for support and improve co-production with parents and carers. However, she acknowledged the significant resourcing required for a borough with a high number of children with complex needs.

Candy, an officer presenting the reforms, explained that the national programme is moving quickly, with legislation expected soon. Islington's plan includes the 'Experts at Hand' (EAH) model, delivered by specialist teachers, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists. The council is also developing 'Inclusion Bases' within mainstream schools.

Measuring Success and Ensuring Equitable Access

The success of the SEND reforms and the 'Experts at Hand' initiative will be measured by tracking outcomes such as earlier identification and support, with a greater proportion of needs met without escalation to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Other key metrics include increased mainstream inclusion, improved attendance and behaviour, and a stronger sense of belonging for children and young people. The council will also monitor increased confidence among children, young people, families, and professionals, and the sustainability of a financially stable system with reduced reliance on high-cost placements. A benefits realisation model will be in place from the start to capture these metrics, distinguishing between outputs and actual impact. The evaluation will involve surveys and harder evidence of a child's progress over time. The council has pledged to be really open about what is working well and what needs either to be improved or changed.

An illustration depicting three children of diverse backgrounds standing in front of a sports field, with the text "INCLUSION: A fair and inclusive society" and "Everyone has what they need to belong, achieve and thrive."
Inclusion illustrationSource: Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee papers, 1 October 2026

The 'Experts at Hand' initiative aims to provide specialist expertise closer to schools, with an investment of approximately £1.1 million for 2026-27. The model will be delivered by specialist teachers, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists. A new AI-assisted online referral system is being developed to match referrals quickly to the best-suited service and contact the school within five days. The council is working to ensure the EAH offer is available across early years, schools, and post-16 settings, with collaborative efforts for post-16 provision across multiple boroughs, aiming to ensure equitable access for all schools, particularly those in more disadvantaged areas.

Inclusion Bases and Workforce Development

The expectation is that every secondary school has an inclusion base as soon as possible and that we then match those numbers across primary schools. The development and implementation of these bases are part of the SEND reform programme, with Year 1 delivery (2026-27) involving mobilization, delivery in the spring term, and embedding and scaling during the summer term. The final phase involves evaluation, adaptation, and agreement on what should be sustained and scaled for Year 2.

Three smiling children with arms around each other, representing the focus on children and young people in the council meeting.
Children and young peopleSource: Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee papers, 1 October 2026

As part of the workforce development initiative, the Islington Professional Partners programme offers support, challenge, preparation for inspection and leadership training for headteachers and senior leaders. Additionally, the One Stop Shop has streamlined access to continuing professional development. The SEND reforms include investment in Workforce & Practice Development which encompasses Trauma-informed practice, SENCO and leadership support, and Inclusive teaching at scale.

Addressing Demand and Commissioning SLT

The SEND reforms aim to reduce reliance on formal diagnoses for support, and improve co-production with parents and carers. The EAH initiative is designed to strengthen mainstream provision by building skills and confidence within schools, and to offer whole-setting advice and clinics to reduce the reliance on 1:1 escalation. The investment in EAH is targeted at earlier identification and support and earlier specialist input to meet needs before they escalate.

An icon representing two people with a heart between them, symbolizing care and support for children and families.
Care and support iconSource: Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee papers, 1 October 2026

The inclusion of speech and language therapy (SLT) within the EAH offer is still being worked on, with the council still working on commissioning specific services. A challenge identified is the distinction between speech therapy and support for the development of language, with the latter being influenced by various factors. The council needs to rationalise the existing ten different language and communication programmes in schools to determine whether specialist teaching or therapy is needed. While other local authorities have commissioned SLT as part of their EAH offer, Islington is still working on commissioning specific services and doing the work to decide on the best intervention.

Improving Information Sharing for Transitions

Concerns were raised about the transition of SEND information from primary to secondary schools, with the observation that secondary schools can often find it quite difficult to process the information that we do share with them. While the suggestion of inclusion hubs was mentioned to support transitions, concrete steps include the multi-agency School Attendance Support Team which provides a named officer to every school. This team meets schools termly to review attendance data, identify children at risk, understand barriers, and agree on coordinated support. A central site for schools has also been established to share resources, advice, and good practice. The Department for Education informs all secondary schools about primary school children with persistent absence who are transferring to them in the last term of year six, and the local authority tracks this data and has conversations with secondary schools once the children have transferred. There is also a secondary transfer conference where schools out of borough that attract large numbers attend and share information with primary school staff.

An illustration of a school building with a tree, representing discussions on children's services and education.
School illustrationSource: Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee papers, 1 October 2026

Despite the investment and stated aims, concerns were raised during the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee meeting about the detail of the reform plans. Officers explained that this is Phase A of a national programme, and more detail is expected to emerge in subsequent phases. The council is committed to co-producing the reforms with parents and carers.

For more details on the meeting, refer to the Public reports pack and Agenda frontsheet.