Practical guidance for families.

What the New School Exclusion Rules Mean for Your Child

A plain-English guide for parents - July 2026

If you’ve been told by your local authority (LA) that an independent special school simply “isn’t available” or is “too expensive,” you are not alone. This is one of the most common battles SEND families face and one of the most misunderstood areas of the law. The reality is more nuanced, and in some cases, an independent placement can absolutely be secured and funded by your LA. Here’s what you need to know.

There is a programme operating across England that most SEND families have never heard of. It is shaping decisions about their children’s support. They deserve to know it exists.

And why chasing one before applying for an EHCP may be costing your child months of support they’re already entitled to.

You fought hard to get your child into the right school. You researched, you visited, you probably cried in a few car parks along the way...and now they are there, in a setting that finally understands them, with staff who get it. So why does it still feel like you are constantly battling the system?

Most parents have never been taught how to communicate with a local authority. Here's what actually works.

When you're navigating the SEND system, it can feel like everyone else knows something you don't. The truth is they often do. Local authorities, schools, and NHS services don't always volunteer information that could help your child get the support they need.

This guide brings together some of the most useful, least-publicised rights and tips I share with families I support. Keep it, share it, and use it.

A little while ago, we supported a family who had been fighting for a long time to get their child into the right school. Not just any school, the right one. The one that understood their child, had the provision they needed, and where they could genuinely thrive. The system had said no ....and more than once.

With more and more people calling themselves SEND advocates, it can be really hard to know who to trust when you're already stressed, exhausted, and just trying to get the right support for your child.

We don't do this work for the recognition. We do it because every family we support deserves someone firmly in their corner.

Every now and then, however, messages like these land in our inbox and they remind us exactly why this matters.

The Government is consulting on major SEND reforms to provide faster, fairer support. Key proposals include a mandatory 'Universal Offer' of inclusive support in mainstream schools, new tiers of 'Targeted' help that do not require an EHCP and placing health specialists directly into schools. Existing EHCPs are fully protected until at least September 2030. The public is currently urged to provide feedback via consultation before any legislation is finalised.