NFER submission to the Government’s SEND Reform Consultation

19 May 2026

NFER has submitted a response to the Department for Education’s consultation, SEND reform: putting children and young people first. The consultation represents an opportunity for stakeholders to input into proposals to strengthen the SEND system and improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Our response draws on NFER’s extensive programme of research on SEND, inclusion, and education system reform. It reflects the latest evidence on what supports effective high-quality provision, and improved outcomes, as well as the challenges faced by schools, local authorities and families in delivering and accessing support.

Overall, we welcome the focus on earlier identification, more consistent support, and greater clarity for families.

However, our response highlights areas where further detail, resourcing, and system-wide alignment will be critical to achieving the intended reforms. In particular, we emphasise:

• the importance of a well resourced, well-funded and skilled workforce to deliver inclusive provision
• the role of high quality data and evaluation in understanding what works
• the importance of ensuring that reforms are deliverable for schools and sustainable for the system. 

We also stress the value of ongoing engagement with professionals, children and young people, and families to ensure reforms are responsive to lived experience.

Our full submission sets out detailed evidence and recommendations to support an inclusive, effective, and sustainable SEND system.