The Common Room

News

• Study: council SEND case officers act as gatekeepers, not caseworkers

  A study by Dr Pooja Sharma in Support for Learning examines the relationship between council SEND case officers and parent carers. It describes officers as gatekeepers facing heavy caseloads and limited authority, who feel like "human shields" for council decisions. The article says parents are left doing the casework, and calls for an independent key worker system.

  22 September 2026

• National Network of Parent Carer Forums submits EOTAS consultation response

  The National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF) has submitted its response to the Department for Education consultation on Education Otherwise Than at School (EOTAS). It says the response was informed by Parent Carer Forums across England and sets out support for high-quality education and earlier support without losing individualised provision or statutory protections.

  22 September 2026

• Milburn review to propose expanding supported internships

  Alan Milburn, who is leading a government review of young people and work, will propose scaling up supported internships for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. He said employment rates among those who complete the schemes can reach 70%, against as few as 5% for some SEND groups.

  22 September 2026

• Campaign launched for permanent UK centre for Deaf people

  Urban planner Amanprit Arnold has launched the DeafCity Hub campaign to create a permanent deaf-led arts and co-working space in the UK, designed using DeafSpace principles. The project has secured a year-long meanwhile space in London through Westminster city council and the Oxford Street Development Corporation. It revives a 1986 plan for an International Deaf Cultural Centre that was never built.

  22 September 2026

• London mayor publishes first disability action plan

  London mayor Sadiq Khan has published his first disability action plan, the Action Plan for Deaf and Disabled Londoners 2026. Disabled people's organisations called it a starting point and said the focus must now shift to implementation. Pledges include accessible advice, safer crime reporting and better Transport for London staff training.

  22 September 2026

• Readers back plan to expand supported internships for young people with SEND

  Letters respond to Alan Milburn's proposal to expand supported internships for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. A retired special school headteacher says society focuses on what these young people cannot do rather than what they can with the right support. Another reader says employer national insurance exemptions for young workers under 21 are little known and underused.

  22 September 2026

• Rapper Giggs co-founds SEND school and assessment centre in Kent

  The Guardian reports rapper Giggs has co-founded St James House, a secondary school in Gravesend, Kent, for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities and those in alternative provision. An assessment centre opened this month and the school is due to open in January. Giggs said he struggled to get diagnoses and education, health and care plans for his autistic children.

  19 September 2026

• Education, health and care plan numbers expected to double in England

  Schools and councils in England expect the proportion of children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs) to double to one in 10, with families rushing to apply before government reforms. Headteachers described an unreal surge in assessment requests, and councils warned of renewed financial pressure. EHCPs are legal documents setting out the support a child needs up to age 25.

  18 September 2026

• Survey finds PIP fails to cover disabled people's extra costs

  A survey of about 2,000 disabled people in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, run by Disability Rights UK, the Commission on Social Security and Toynbee Hall, found 16 per cent said personal independence payment (PIP) covered all their additional disability-related costs, while 24 per cent said it covered very little or none. Nearly half (48 per cent) described the PIP assessment process as somewhat or very hostile.

  18 September 2026

• Parents describe abuse allegations at special educational needs school closed in 2019

  Annette and Kevin Maxwell say their son Jonah, who has severe autism and epilepsy, was at St Christopher’s in Bristol. The school was closed by Ofsted in 2019 after child cruelty allegations; police brought no charges. The family settled a civil claim against owner Aurora Group for £18,600 without admission of guilt and are pushing for stricter laws on private special educational needs providers.

  18 September 2026

• Charities urge Prime Minister to fix disabled children's social care

  Contact and more than 50 charities in the Disabled Children's Partnership have written to the Prime Minister setting out failures in disabled children's social care. They are urging the government to adopt the Law Commission's proposals for a simpler, fairer system. The letter is featured in a Channel 4 News report.

  15 September 2026

• Researcher proposes Individual Inclusion Plans to replace EHCPs

  A thought-piece on Special Needs Jungle argues that Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) secure provision but not inclusion in mainstream schools. Dr Sharon Smith proposes replacing them with Individual Inclusion Plans that keep children's entitlements while adding a statutory duty on schools to change environments and culture. The article states it is a personal view, not an SNJ position.

  15 September 2026

• EOTAS families describe it as last resort after school crisis

  A guest writer for Special Needs Jungle describes leading focus groups on Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) for the Down's Syndrome Association and ALLFIE, where parents said EOTAS came only after other provision failed. The article says the Government's EOTAS consultation closes on 18 September.

  15 September 2026

• Special Needs Jungle lists 20 SEND legal rights at risk from reforms

  Special Needs Jungle says 20 current legal entitlements for children with SEND are at risk of being removed or diluted by Government reforms. It lists concerns including changes to EHCP eligibility, standardised Specialist Provision Packages, and reduced rights to appeal over EOTAS. It says the EOTAS consultation is still live.

  15 September 2026

• Unison raises concerns over missing NHS detail in EOTAS consultation

  Unison says Chapter 3 of the EOTAS consultation, on children whose health needs prevent school attendance, omits NHS responsibilities. It argues alternative provision cannot substitute for healthcare and calls for clarity on ICB commissioning duties. The consultation closes on 18 September 2026.

  8 September 2026

• Child protection reform consultation could increase scrutiny of disabled children

  A government consultation, Improving Help and Child Protection, proposes earlier support but may increase information-sharing and investigation. Research found disabled children are over three times more likely to face Section 47 investigations. Five changes are suggested to reduce parent blame and over-investigation.

  8 September 2026

• DBS myth-buster on September 2026 supervision exemption changes

  From 1 September 2026 the supervision exemption for regulated activity with children is removed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The DBS addresses misconceptions: it applies beyond education and volunteers, does not make DBS checks mandatory, and does not require suspending staff while checks are pending.

  8 September 2026

• Special Needs Jungle and SOS!SEN write to Lucy Powell over SEND reforms

  Special Needs Jungle and SOS!SEN, a SEND legal charity, have sent an open letter to Education Secretary Lucy Powell warning that proposed changes would remove disabled children's appeal rights. They ask for a meeting; her office later acknowledged the request and said it would be in touch if she could meet.

  8 September 2026

• Councils warn of critical risks to government SEND reforms

  Local authorities have warned of critical risks to government SEND reforms, including shortages of specialist staff, teacher burnout and parental backlash. The draft plans, seen by Tes, also cite fears that demand for education, health and care plans could rise during the transition and that funding is not guaranteed.

  8 September 2026

• Contact calls for support-led social care assessments for disabled children

  The government is consulting on changes to children's social care guidance in England. Contact is calling for a support-led assessment route for disabled children and their families where there are no safeguarding concerns. The charity asks parent carers to respond to the consultation before it closes at midnight on 4 September.

  4 September 2026

• Community Transport Association seeks views on disabled children's transport

  The Community Transport Association has opened a UK-wide survey for disabled children, young people and parent carers to share their experiences of transport. The survey is part of the Creating Connections project, funded by the Motability Foundation, and closes on 4 September 2026.

  4 September 2026

• New factsheets and webinar recordings for families in Wales

  Contact has published new Disability Living Allowance and Direct Payments factsheets for families in Wales, available in English and Welsh. It has also uploaded three recorded webinars from March 2026, with Welsh subtitles, covering wills and trusts, lasting power of attorney, and specialist college funding.

  3 September 2026

• Roundtable brings together MP and local parent carers

  Contact and Hope for the Future hosted a roundtable with MP Anna Dixon and parent carers in Shipley, discussing SEND provision, mental health and access to nature. Parent carers shared experiences of children being excluded or unable to attend school, and delays in CAMHS support. Dixon spoke about the government's focus on NEET young people and carer support.

  3 September 2026

• 10-year plan to revitalise schools and colleges for every child

  The government has announced a 10-year plan to revitalise schools and colleges, with schools to be inclusive by design and secondary schools expected to have inclusion bases. The NNPCF welcomes this but says buildings alone are not enough and calls for skilled staff and specialist support.

  3 September 2026

• Webinar recording on SEND proposals' impact on EHCP and EOTAS rights

  Special Needs Jungle and SOS!SEN have published the recording of a webinar about the Government's SEND proposals and their implications for children's legal rights to education, health and care plans (EHCPs) and education otherwise than at school (EOTAS). The discussion featured solicitors, parents and a tutor, and answered questions from parents. The recording, podcast and transcript are now available.

  3 September 2026

• New book explores roles and recognition of SEND practitioners

  Dr Tristan Middleton has edited a new book, 'The SEN Practitioner: Status, skills and support,' published by Routledge on 22 June 2026. It looks at roles such as SENCos and teaching assistants and argues that practitioners supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) lack recognition from policy-makers. The article includes a giveaway for a free copy.

  3 September 2026

• Parents urged to invite MPs to Parliament event on EHC health support

  Contact is asking parent carers to invite their MP to a parliamentary event on 3 September, where MPs will hear about failures to deliver health support in EHC plans. Jen Craft MP has tabled an amendment to the Health Bill to strengthen accountability of Integrated Care Boards. The article notes families have weaker ways to challenge health and social care failures.

  31 August 2026

• Parliamentary committee backs disabled children's social care law overhaul

  A new report from Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights backs major changes to disabled children's social care in England. It supports most Law Commission proposals, including national eligibility criteria and a modern definition of disability. The government must respond to the committee, and is expected to respond to the Law Commission by 16 September.

  31 August 2026

• Wrexham AFC pan-disability team joint champions at Genuine Cup

  Contact Cymru says a young disabled man who attended its sports days later joined Wrexham AFC’s pan-disability team. Cai, 22, travelled with the Ability Dragons to Houston, Texas, for the Genuine Cup, where they were crowned joint champions with Egypt. He had a stroke in 2025 and attended events while recovering.

  31 August 2026

• Webinar to discuss government EOTAS consultation and EHCP rights

  Special Needs Jungle and SEND legal charity SOS!SEN will host a webinar on 1 September 2026, 7.30-8.30pm, about the government's EOTAS consultation. They say the proposals will affect every child with an EHCP and compromise or remove rights. The free event includes a panel, live Q&A, and a recording after.

  22 August 2026

• Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group report published

  The report, commissioned by the Department for Education, identifies barriers faced by neurodivergent learners and makes nine recommendations across four priority areas. These include earlier identification of needs, workforce training, inclusive environments, and funding reform.

  22 August 2026

• NNPCF attends No 10 roundtable on SEND reform

  The NNPCF attended a roundtable at 10 Downing Street with the Prime Minister and Education Secretary to discuss the Schools White Paper and SEND reform consultation. The co-chairs emphasised that parents and carers are experts in their children's lives and stressed the importance of co-production and meaningful participation in SEND reform.

  22 August 2026

• Tips for responding to DfE EOTAS and EHCP consultation

  The DfE is consulting on EOTAS proposals within its SEND reforms, with changes planned from 2029/30. Special Needs Jungle offers tips for parents responding, including advice on question selection, word limits, and using AI. It also highlights a joint webinar.

  22 August 2026

• Former PCF chair Sabiha Aziz criticises current model

  In a guest post, Sabiha Aziz, former chair of Birmingham Parent Carer Forum, argues the 2014 SEND reforms' PCF model constrains parent voice. She says parents are often consulted too late, that confidentiality stifles challenge, and that many PCFs lack democratic mandates. She resigned in June 2023.

  22 August 2026

• Carer's Allowance earnings limit affects two-thirds of parent carers

  Contact polled 815 parent carers: 36% turned down extra hours or pay, 31% reduced or stopped work because of the Carer's Allowance earnings limit. A further 29% were not in paid work and 4% said it had not affected a decision. Contact is calling for a gradual taper to replace the cliff edge.

  22 August 2026

• Introducing Forum by SENDSorta

  A new operating hub built specifically for Parent Carer Forums, helping PCFs gather parent voice, manage co-production, organise their work and, importantly, show parent carers what happened as a result.

  18 August 2026

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