SEND Reform Risks Repeating Mistakes of the Past
22 April 2026
Children’s Law Centre calls for halt on “potentially damaging” revised SEND framework
Legal experts criticise approach that risks undermining strong legal safeguards for children and young people
Serious concern raised at “break with due process” and lack of transparency
The Children’s Law Centre has published an open letter, raising alarm around significant and potentially damaging changes to the system that provides support to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The open letter, published on Wednesday 22nd April and endorsed by 14 other organisations – including unions – states that the new direction undermines decades of work with expert stakeholders, fails to address the issues around capacity and resources and places increased pressure on schools. This is despite repeated critical reports highlighting failures within the Education Authority, which will not be properly addressed.
Specialist SEND Legal Adviser at the Children’s Law Centre, Rachel Hogan, BL said: “The Children’s Law Centre is seriously concerned that the current reform to the support for children with special educational needs and disabilities is repeating the failures of the past. Rather than address the issues that have been well researched and articulated over past decades, the proposed reforms run the risk of undermining the legal framework that supports children, compounding the current failures.
“The Children’s Law Centre and others have committed many years of work to the Education Authority and the Department of Education to ensure the SEND system provides the proper support for children and young people. However, this sudden change of direction has abandoned that work and risks rushing through reforms that potentially make the situation worse, with very little scrutiny.
“These changes do not reflect what has been recommended in numerous reports and by expert stakeholders, including the Children’s Law Centre, other specialist organisations, teaching professionals and parents. They seek to shift the responsibility to schools and water down children’s individual rights. The implementation of the revised SEND framework must now stop”.
The letter has been endorsed by:
- CiNI
- SENAC
- Angel Eyes NI
- National Autistic Society
- The Fostering Network
- ADD-NI Children’s Charity
- The Centre for Children’s Rights, Queen’s University Belfast
- Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council
- NASUWT
- INTO
- UTU
- NEU
- NAHT
- UNISON
To add your organisation’s name to the list of endorsements, please contact Rachel@childrenslawcentre.org