What the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill Means for Parents of SEND Children

If you’re a parent of a child with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), you might have heard about the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced in December 2024. But what does it actually mean for you and your child? This new legislation is designed to improve child welfare and education standards, bringing in changes that affect everything from school admissions to home education.

Key Changes in the Bill

Children’s Social Care Reforms

• More support for kinship care – if a child can’t live with their parents, there’s a bigger push to place them with extended family rather than in the care system.
• Strengthened child protection policies to prevent neglect and abuse.
• Better support for care leavers, helping them with housing, education, and job opportunities.
• Stricter regulations for care workers and children’s homes to ensure higher standards of care.

Changes to the Education System

• Improvements to school attendance tracking and admissions, making it easier for parents to navigate the process.
• More oversight of independent schools to ensure they meet proper education standards.
• Clearer guidelines for handling teacher misconduct and ensuring staff meet higher qualification standards.
• More breakfast clubs in schools to support children’s nutrition and learning.
• Changes to school uniform policies – schools can now only require up to three branded items (either by logo or specific colour), helping to keep uniform costs down.

Home Education & Safeguarding

• Local councils will now keep a register of children being home-educated. This is intended to ensure all children receive a proper education and are safe.
• If a child’s home environment is considered unsafe, councils will have the power to step in and require them to attend school.

How This Affects Parents of SEND Children

For parents of children with SEND, there are some big changes to be aware of:

More Support for SEND Students

The government is putting more focus on child welfare and education quality, which hopefully means better support in schools. However, how well this is implemented will vary between areas, so staying informed and advocating for your child is still key.

Simplified School Admissions

Navigating school admissions can be a nightmare, especially for parents of SEND children. The bill aims to make this process easier, potentially giving families a better chance at securing the right school placement. If you need help with this, The SEN Expert offers school search services tailored to your needs.

More Oversight for Home Education

If you home-educate your child, you’ll now need to register with your local authority. While this is meant to ensure all children get a proper education, some parents see it as an extra layer of bureaucracy. If you’re home-schooling, be prepared to provide evidence of your child’s learning and progress.

Potential for More Scrutiny

With local councils being given more authority to assess home-educated children, families may face increased checks. If you’re home-educating, it’s worth keeping clear records of your child’s progress to make any assessments easier to manage.

What You Can Do as a SEND Parent

Stay Engaged & Advocate for Your Child

Understanding your child’s rights and being proactive in discussions with schools and local authorities is crucial. If you need help with advocacy, The SEN Expert provides support services to guide you through these conversations.

Keep Up With Changes

The way this bill is put into practice will vary, so staying updated on how it’s rolled out in your area is important. Keep an eye on local education news, join parent forums, and reach out to support groups.

Final Thoughts

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill brings a mix of opportunities and challenges for parents of SEND children. While the goal is to improve education and welfare, increased oversight may raise concerns for some families, especially those who home-educate. By staying informed and involved, you can ensure your child gets the best possible support.

If you need help navigating these changes, whether with school admissions, levels of support your child is receiving or advocacy The SEN Expert is here to help.