Hounslow Council's Cabinet has approved plans to extend the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Programme until the end of October 2026. This extension aims to focus on a thematic approach to inclusion and will feed into the development of the SEND Reform Plan, scheduled for June 2026.
The programme, initially approved in December 2023, has already made significant strides in improving services for children and young people with SEND. Key achievements highlighted in the update include enhanced information and guidance for families through new Local Offer and SENDIASS websites, and monthly SEND Surgeries offering face-to-face support.
During the extended programme, a thematic approach to inclusion
will be adopted, with key areas of focus including Commissioning for Inclusion, Resources for Inclusion, and Practice for Inclusion. Commissioning for Inclusion will involve further development of placement and provision commissioning, including SEND capital programmes, to expand resource pathways and create additional SEN capacity across the borough. Resources for Inclusion will focus on developing early years and early intervention funding, ensuring clear pathways and access to support in mainstream provision. Practice for Inclusion will centre on a continuous improvement cycle for professional practice, including training, operational procedures, and data reporting.
Furthermore, the Mainstream Inclusion Partnership (MIP) has provided over £1.3 million in additional funding since April 2023 to support 934 children and young people across 72% of Hounslow's mainstream schools. This initiative has shown promising results, with only 4% of the MIP cohort requiring an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), indicating a successful move towards earlier intervention.
The Safety Valve (SV) initiative, designed to address the accumulating deficit in the High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), is also on track. The SV initiative has interventions focused on developing an inclusive system, a commissioning approach for specialist provision, and preparation for adulthood. Forecasts indicate an £11.8 million cumulative deficit by March 2026, a significant reduction from the projected £47.2 million deficit under a 'do nothing' scenario. The 'do nothing' scenario projected a cumulative deficit of £47.2m at 31 March 2026, driven by the accumulating deficit in the High Needs Block and trajectories of spend and demand. The programme's interventions are expected to balance the DSG budget by the end of the Safety Valve agreement in 2027/28.
With the national Safety Valve Programme set to close on 1 April 2026, replaced by a broader and universal approach to DSG deficits and local area SEND reform plans,
the extension will ensure a smooth transition. Hounslow Council will be required to write a SEND Reform Plan by June 2026. The scale, scope, and detail of this plan are under development following the release of the White Paper at the end of February 2026. The extended SEND and AP Programme will feed into this plan, aiming for a system-wide inclusive approach aligned with national direction. The remaining £333,000 of programme budget will fund this extension, allowing for continued transformation and the eventual handover of work to Business As Usual by October 2026.
The programme's success in improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND was validated in an October 2024 Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, which resulted in an improved 'middle' rating. The Written Statement of Action, a requirement following the previous inspection, was closed in December 2024 with 99% of milestones completed.
Councillor Samia Chaudhary, Cabinet member for Education, Children, Skills & Employment, stated that the programme's extension would continue effective implementation of SEND transformation and stabilise handover into business as usual, to bring about improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND in Hounslow and meet the requirements of regulators.
