Southend SEND Area Partnership letter about proposed Government SEND Reforms

February 27, 2026

The Southend SEND Area Partnership have issued a letter about the proposed Government SEND reforms and the consultation.


You can read the letter in full here:


25 February 2026


Dear parent carers,


The Government's Schools White Paper, Every child achieving and thriving was published this week (Monday 23 February 2026). This White Paper sets out proposed reforms to the schools and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England. We expect more detail to become available over the coming weeks and will share further information with you as soon as we can.


We understand that these announcements may create uncertainty for families of children and young people with SEND. We want to reassure you that nothing about the support you currently receive will change at this stage. These proposals are part of a national consultation, and no decisions have yet been finalised.


Leaders from Southend-on-Sea City Council and the Integrated Care Board will now take time to carefully review the proposals so we can understand what they may mean for our local area. We are encouraged that the reforms aim to improve help and support for children and young people with SEND, with a commitment to ensuring the right resources are in place to deliver this.


The improvement work the SEND Area Partnership has undertaken over the last three years places us in a good position to align with the principles set out in the reforms – early and fair support, delivered through collaborative working and shared accountability.


The Government's consultation on the proposed reforms is now open and seeks feedback from everyone with an interest in SEND, including parents, carers, young people, and professionals. You can read the proposals and share your views here:
SEND reform: putting children and young people first - Department for Education - Citizen Space


The Partnership fully agrees that the voice of families must remain central as we consider these proposals and prepare our response to the consultation.


As Southend's Parent Carer Forum, Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) encourages parents and carers to engage with the consultation to share your lived experiences as these are vital in shaping a system that truly reflects the needs of our children and young people. Throughout the consultation, SSIF are hosting informal in-person drop‑in sessions at Southend Civic Centre where you can share your views and ask questions.


Drop-in session dates:


  • Friday 13 March, 9.30am to 10.30am Committee Room 2
  • Tuesday 17 March, 9.30am to 10.30am Committee Room 2
  • Monday 23 March, 12.30pm to 1.30pm Committee Room 3
  • Thursday 23 April, 10.30am to 11.30am Committee Room 7
  • Friday 1 May, 12.30pm to 1.30pm, Committee Room 7
  • Monday 11 May, 10am to 11am, Committee Room 4


The Partnership will also host an in-person information session on Friday 17 April 2026 at Southend Civic Centre (Jubilee Room) from 9.30am to 10.30am. Find out more and book your place through Eventbrite: SEND Reform Family Engagement session


A further online session will be confirmed shortly. We encourage you to follow SSIF and the SEND Local Offer social media channels for updates:



It is important to note that the new system is not expected to be enacted until 2029. In the meantime, the Southend Area Partnership focus will remain on continuing the improvements achieved so far and ensuring children and young people in Southend receive the support they need.


Signatories:


Michael Marks, Executive Director, Children and Public Health, Southend-on-Sea City Council


Dr Giles Thorpe, Executive Chief Nursing Officer, Mid and South Essex ICB


Philomena Johnson, Strategic Lead for Education and Social Care, Southend SEND Independent Forum


Samantha Delve, Strategic Lead for Health, Southend SEND Independent Forum

SEND Newsletter

March 11, 2026
Have you signed up to the monthly SEND Newsletter yet? 📩 The SEND Newsletter is a monthly e-newsletter from the Southend SEND Partnership, bringing together organisations and services that support children and young people with SEND and their families in Southend. It’s designed to keep you up to date with local information, opportunities and support available to families. We contribute to the newsletter each month too, so it’s a great way to see what we’re sharing alongside updates from other local services. Subscribe here:

SEND Information Day - 16th June 2026

March 9, 2026
Event details SEND Information Day Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) and the SEND Local Offer Team are pleased to announce the second Southend SEND Information Day on Tuesday 16 June 2026. This is a free event for the Southend SEND community. It is open to parent carers or family members of children or young people with SEND, and professionals. Venue: Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER Time: 9.30am to 2.30pm Hold the date - further information to follow soon! For a taste of what to expect at the event in June, read about the 2025 SEND Information Day and watch videos here . Pre-register for the event! You can just drop-in on the day, but why not make things easier and pre-register?! Get advance information about the event direct to your inbox, so you can plan your visit and make the most of your time.

SEND Reform Engagement and Listening Events

March 4, 2026
As Southend’s Parent Carer Forum, Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF), we encourage you to share your experiences — your voice really matters in shaping support for our children and young people. We’re hosting informal drop-in sessions at Southend Civic Centre during the consultation period specifically to gather your feedback and thoughts on the proposed changes, so we can reflect the real views of parent carers in our response. Please come along to share your views or ask any questions — we’d love to see you there. The SEND Partnership is also hosting an information Event and will present an overview of the key proposed changes, highlight the areas the government is consulting on, and empower parent carers with the information needed to share their views with confidence. The SEND Partnership will require pre-booking tickets and you can do that here, tickets .
An advertisement for a coffee and chat event

SSIF Coffee Mornings

March 2, 2026
One of our favourite Events is our regular monthly coffee morning, where Parent Carers can get together to share their experiences. Every month we have the Local Offer team with us and invite 1 or 2 additional special guests from for example Health, Social Care, Education and more, to offer guidance and advice. *Please note that the coffee mornings for 2026 will temporarily be held at the Civic Centre and will again return to SAVS in September 2026* Come along and chat to other ParentCarers, get advice from one of our SEND support service guests and enjoy a hot drink with something sweet. Booking is not required.