A new Schools White Paper has sparked warnings over SEND funding and the future of current support plans.
Horsham MP John Milne welcomed the government’s focus on long-awaited reform after years of inaction, but raised concerns about the potential consequences of proposed changes.
He said: "Since becoming an MP, I have spoken to many parents and teachers in Horsham about their exhausting experiences fighting for the most basic level of support.
"The current system is adversarial, demoralising and too often fails the very children it is meant to help.
"I'm pleased the government is taking this on – the last one just let the crisis build."
Under the new proposals, all schools would be required to create an Individual Support Plan (ISP) for every child with SEND.
The reforms emphasise early intervention and aim to support more children within mainstream school settings.
But Mr Milne warned that parents may worry about losing legally backed support.
He said: "However, many parents will be very worried about a possible loss of access to EHCPs.
"An ECHP guarantees specialised support – whereas an ISP just describes a need.
"Anyone who has battled through the system to get an ECHP for their child will know how much it means.
"It’s crucial that there is sufficient funding and support for schools to fill the gap, and at the moment, that is far from clear.
"The SEND system needs a complete overhaul, not a simple rebrand.
"Any proposals must be properly implemented and supported with the right resources.
"This reform is too important to get wrong."
The government has promised that no child will lose effective support currently in place, and that children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) won't transition to an ISP until at least 2030.
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