Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 30 March (HL14338), what is the expected timescale for (1) the consultation of the proposals for special educational needs and disabilities reform, and (2) the implementation of those reforms.

On Monday 23 February, the department launched a full 12‑week consultation on our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms because we want to hear directly from people across the country who have an interest in these reforms.

We are also hosting a series of online and in‑person events throughout the 12-week consultation period, with some sessions delivered in partnership with the Council for Disabled Children. This consultation concludes on 18 May 2026.

The consultation, including accessible versions, can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first.

The department will manage the implementation of the reformed SEND system carefully, hence why our investments start now, before forthcoming legislation.

The first cohort to transition will be those at the end of primary, secondary and post-16 in 2029/30. They will move to the new system in September 2030. We expect the final cohort to transition to the new system in 2035.