The SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years is the statutory guidance underpinning the Children and Families Act 2014. It sets out how schools, local authorities and health bodies must support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, from birth to age 25.
The 2015 Code remains the current statutory guidance. Reforms were proposed in the schools white paper published on 23 February 2026, but until new legislation passes, settings must continue to apply the 2015 Code in full. We cover what is proposed, and when, further down.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
Who must have regard to it
- Early years providers, schools, academies, free schools and colleges
- Local authorities
- Health bodies, including NHS England and integrated care boards
- Youth offending teams and relevant independent settings
“Must have regard to” means they cannot simply disregard it. Departing from it requires a clear and justifiable reason.
The four broad areas of need
The Code groups special educational needs into four areas. A child may have needs across more than one, and the categories describe need rather than label the child.
| Area of need | Examples |
|---|---|
| Communication and interaction | Speech, language and communication needs; autism spectrum conditions |
| Cognition and learning | Moderate, severe and profound learning difficulties; specific difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia |
| Social, emotional and mental health | Anxiety, depression, attachment difficulties, ADHD, behaviour that reflects an underlying need |
| Sensory and/or physical | Vision or hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability |
The graduated approach
Support follows a four-stage cycle, repeated and refined over time:
- Assess — identify the need clearly, drawing on teacher assessment, data, and the views of the child and parents.
- Plan — agree the support, the expected outcomes and a review date, with parents.
- Do — put it in place. The class or subject teacher remains responsible, working with the SENCO and support staff.
- Review — evaluate the impact and decide what changes next.
The cycle matters more than any individual intervention. A setting that runs one intervention indefinitely without reviewing impact is not following the Code, however good the intervention is.
SEN Support and EHC plans
SEN Support
The level at which the large majority of children with SEND are supported. It is provided by the setting from its own resources, through the graduated approach. It does not require a formal plan from the local authority.
Education, Health and Care plans
For children and young people whose needs cannot reasonably be met through SEN Support alone. An EHC plan is a legal document issued by the local authority describing needs, outcomes and the provision required.
- Parents, young people over 16 and settings can request an EHC needs assessment.
- The statutory timescale from request to final plan is 20 weeks.
- Plans are reviewed at least annually.
- Parents have rights of appeal to the SEND Tribunal, with mediation available first.
The Local Offer
Every local authority must publish a Local Offer setting out the provision available across education, health and social care for children and young people with SEND, including how to access it. It must be developed with children, young people and parents, and kept current.
The SENCO role
Every mainstream school must have a designated SENCO, who must be a qualified teacher. New SENCOs must achieve the national qualification within three years of appointment — this is now the National Professional Qualification for SENCOs, which replaced the National Award for SEN Coordination.
The SENCO coordinates provision, advises staff, works with parents and external agencies, and keeps records. The Code is clear, though, that every teacher is a teacher of SEND. Responsibility for the progress of a child with SEND sits with the class or subject teacher, not transferred to the SENCO or to a teaching assistant.
That last point matters for support staff. A teaching assistant delivering intervention is not a substitute for quality first teaching, and the Code is explicit that children with SEND should not be routinely separated from their teacher.
What the 2026 white paper proposes
The schools white paper published on 23 February 2026 set out proposed SEND reforms. These are proposals, not current law.
- A shift towards mainstream inclusion, with more children with SEND educated in their local mainstream school.
- A four-level support model: universal, targeted, targeted plus, and specialist.
- Digital Individual Support Plans describing day-to-day provision, though the scope remains uncertain.
- Restructured EHC plans, continuing for the most complex needs alongside Specialist Provision Packages.
Timescales
- September 2026 — updated Ofsted inspection toolkits took effect.
- 31 December 2026 — schools receiving the Inclusive Mainstream Fund must publish inclusion strategies.
- September 2029 — first needs assessments under the proposed new system.
- September 2030 — proposed start of transition from existing EHC plans.
No changes to support received through an existing EHC plan before September 2030 at the earliest. If you are a parent reading alarming summaries of the reforms, that is the sentence to hold on to.
The practical implication for settings is a likely increase in SEND need met within mainstream provision — which means demand for experienced SEN support staff rising rather than falling.
Recruiting SEN staff?
Quint Education places SEN teaching assistants, class teachers and support workers across London, into mainstream and specialist settings.
Related reading
- Supporting a child with autism in the classroom
- Teaching assistant qualifications
- What is KCSIE?
- What is the EYFS?
Frequently asked questions
What is the SEND Code of Practice?
Statutory guidance underpinning the Children and Families Act 2014, setting out how schools, local authorities and health bodies must support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities from birth to age 25. Settings must have regard to it, meaning they cannot disregard it without clear justification.
Is the SEND Code of Practice 2015 still current?
Yes. The SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years (2015) remains the statutory guidance that schools, local authorities and health bodies must have regard to. Reforms were proposed in the schools white paper of 23 February 2026, but until new legislation passes the 2015 Code applies in full.
What are the four broad areas of need?
Communication and interaction; cognition and learning; social, emotional and mental health; and sensory and/or physical needs. A child may have needs in more than one area, and the categories describe need rather than label the child.
What is the graduated approach?
A four-stage cycle of assess, plan, do and review, repeated and refined over time. The class or subject teacher remains responsible for the child’s progress throughout, working alongside the SENCO and support staff.
What is the difference between SEN Support and an EHC plan?
SEN Support is provided by the setting from its own resources through the graduated approach and covers the large majority of children with SEND. An Education, Health and Care plan is a legal document issued by the local authority for children whose needs cannot reasonably be met through SEN Support alone, describing needs, outcomes and required provision.
How long does an EHC needs assessment take?
The statutory timescale is 20 weeks from the request to the final plan being issued. Plans are then reviewed at least annually, and parents have rights of appeal to the SEND Tribunal with mediation available beforehand.
What qualification does a SENCO need?
A SENCO must be a qualified teacher, and new SENCOs must achieve the national qualification within three years of appointment. This is now the National Professional Qualification for SENCOs, which replaced the National Award for SEN Coordination.
What is the Local Offer?
A publication every local authority must produce setting out the provision available across education, health and social care for children and young people with SEND in its area, and how to access it. It must be developed with children, young people and parents and kept up to date.
Will existing EHC plans change under the 2026 reforms?
No changes to support received through an existing EHC plan are proposed before September 2030 at the earliest. The first needs assessments under the proposed new system are indicated for September 2029, and all of this remains proposal rather than law until legislation passes.