Tameside strengthens support for children with SEND

Tameside has secured approval for its SEND Reform Plan and £39.5 million in funding to help more children and young people with special education needs (SEND) get support.

The council’s SEND Reform Plan sets out how support for children and young people with additional needs will be improved across the borough, while making sure services remain sustainable for the future.

The approval from the Department of Education is an important milestone for Tameside and means work can now move forward on plans to further improve services and make sure children get the right support at the right time.

Alongside these improvements, ongoing work continues to strengthen assessment and support services. Tameside currently has 3,995 Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in place, with 91% reviewed within the last year. This is improved from 31% in 2024 and 40% in 2025. The council has also significantly improved the speed of assessments, with 100% of plans issued inside 20 weeks in three of the last four months.

 The SEND Reform Plan focuses on making support easier to access, helping children earlier and giving schools the tools and specialist advice they need to meet a wider range of needs in mainstream settings.

Feedback from the DfE recognises Tameside's SEND reform plan as clear, ambitious and strongly aligned to SEND reform principles, with a focus on inclusion, early intervention, partnership working and improved outcomes for children and young people. Reviewers highlighted the strength of the vision, delivery roadmap, co-production approach and investment in mainstream provision, noting a credible, well-sequenced and evidence-based programme of reform for the next three years.

Tameside Council Executive Member for Culture and Lifelong Learning Councillor Leanne Feeley said: "I’m delighted that our Reform Plan has been approved and that this significant funding will support our ongoing work to improve services for children, young people and families across Tameside.
"This is about helping children get support earlier, giving schools access to specialist expertise and making sure families receive the help they need. We have already made good progress, and this investment will help us build on that work and create an even more inclusive and responsive system for local residents."

A key part of the plan is the national Experts at Hand programme, which will give schools access to specialist support from professionals including educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. This will help staff identify children's needs sooner and provide support before challenges become more serious.

Around £2.1 million of government funding will be invested in early help and additional support for schools across the borough.
Tameside’s Place Partnership Director at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Marion Colohan said: “I am pleased that the government has recognised the strength of our shared ambition and the progress already made. We are committed to delivering a health system that is fully integrated into SEND reform, with clear accountability, shared governance and a relentless focus on improving outcomes for children and young people.
“Our partnership is united in delivering the reforms at pace, strengthening early identification, improving access to therapies, and ensuring families experience a seamless, coordinated offer across health, education and care.”