New Funding Plan Targets Early Support for Children With Additional Needs
The UK government has unveiled a £429 million “Experts at Hand” programme aimed at improving support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream schools.
The initiative, known as the “Experts at Hand” programme, is designed to provide direct access to specialist support, such as speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, and specialist teachers, without requiring pupils to first obtain an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
The move forms part of broader reforms outlined in the government’s SEND strategy, which seeks to make mainstream education more inclusive and reduce delays in accessing support.
Under the new scheme, funding will be distributed to local authorities to enable schools to access specialist professionals more quickly and flexibly.
Traditionally, many children have had to go through lengthy assessment processes to secure an EHCP before receiving targeted support. This process has often been criticised for delays, leaving pupils without the help they need during crucial stages of their education.
The new programme aims to change that by embedding expertise directly into schools and local systems.
This means that, in practice:
- Specialists could work alongside teachers in classrooms
- Early interventions could be introduced before needs escalate
- Schools would have more immediate access to tailored support
The goal is to ensure that children receive help earlier, rather than waiting for formal diagnoses or plans to be finalised.
The funding announcement is linked to a broader set of reforms introduced earlier this year, aimed at addressing long-standing challenges in the SEND system.
These challenges include rising demand for support, increasing pressure on local authority budgets, and concerns from families about delays and inconsistencies in provision.
Alongside the “Experts at Hand” programme, the government has also released further details about the Local Authority SEND Transformation Fund, which is intended to help councils redesign services and improve delivery.
Officials say the combined approach is meant to create a more responsive and sustainable system.
Education leaders have broadly welcomed the focus on early intervention, noting that timely support can significantly improve outcomes for children with additional needs.
However, some experts have cautioned that the success of the programme will depend on how effectively it is implemented, particularly in areas already facing shortages of specialist staff.
There are also concerns about whether the funding will be sufficient to meet growing demand, as the number of pupils requiring SEND support continues to rise across England.
At its core, the initiative reflects a shift in approach, from a system heavily reliant on formal plans and assessments to one focused on accessibility and early support within mainstream settings.
For many families, the key issue will be whether this leads to real, tangible improvements in the classroom.
