The Schools White Paper and SLCN support

Speech & Language Link very much welcomes the stated ambitions that drive the schools’ white paper; inclusion, a broad curriculum, engagement and in particular the goals of the SEND reforms. It comes as no surprise that speech and language skills underpin all of the white paper ambitions. It is also true that what is needed, particularly for those with SLCN, to be included, to access the curriculum and to engage, has not really changed.

Identification and training

Identification of support needs requires appropriate standardised assessment, as language difficulties are often hard to spot by observation alone. A whole class approach to language support is still required as this will help all pupils access the curriculum, in particular those with SLCN. Evidence-based intervention for those needing more targeted support and specialist input for those with a higher level of need has always been needed but not always made a priority. Implementing these changes, making these things a priority, will require

• training for classroom staff
• time and support to engage with that training
• availability of specialist staff such as speech and language therapists

A new ambition

Although the specific support required to address the need has not changed, the ambition to put this in place at scale may now be present. With regard to identification of need, the white paper talks about a standardised approach and developing shared resources and systems to help with identification and early intervention, this is very welcome.

A note of caution on language needs

However, when it comes to language we would sound a note of caution. Language needs are easy to miss. Firstly as mentioned language difficulties can be hard to spot, even with additional training. This is why many speech and language therapists recommend universal screening on school entry, to ensure no one who needs targeted or specialist support is overlooked.

Secondly, language develops and changes throughout time at school, as do the demands placed on a child’s language skills. Reaching an early language milestone does not guarantee that others will also be reached.

For this reason we and others have been calling for language screening at each transition stage:

• school entry
• infant to junior
• junior to secondary

This ensures that skills are keeping pace with demands and that support can be put in place as soon as a problem becomes apparent, this is what early intervention means.

Targeted support and the Individual Support Plan

The splitting of targeted provision within the classroom into two levels both provided within the context of the new Individual Support Plan is potentially powerful. Where schools and MATs that have employed their own speech and language therapist some have already been operating their own version of “targeted plus” bringing specialist advice into the classroom when a child is not making progress with speech and language interventions. There is a real possibility here of earlier specialist support.

Fulfilling the promise of earlier specialist support: Experts at hand

Whilst the funding for the “Experts at Hand” service is to be welcomed, a further note of caution in the context of speech and language, this quote from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist’s own response to the white paper highlights the problem perfectly:

“While we commend the Department for Education (DfE) for setting out steps to boost the speech and language therapy workforce, there is a limit to what the DfE can achieve alone. It is essential that the Department of Health and Social Care’s upcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan takes into account the increased demand for health professionals to work with children and young people with SEND, and commits to action to address the recruitment and retention of speech and language therapists.” Read the full RCSLT response here Read the full RCSLT response here

Collaboration across education and health services

The emphasis on collaboration between schools and academy trusts, local authorities and health services has much to be applauded. This has always been part of the vision that has driven what we provide for schools and NHS services, from our early days working with the Kent Communication and Interaction Service to our current partnerships with the joint commissioning teams in Buckinghamshire and East Sussex.

Looking Ahead

The promised expenditure is large and yet could easily be spread too thinly to facilitate the desired changes. We urge the DfE not to spend money “reinventing the wheel” when it comes to standardised approaches to identification of SLCN, but to utilise good practice which their own research has already identified “Supporting stammering, speech, and language needs in the early years: a rapid evidence review with case studies on working together”.

We will be raising these points and others in the consultation which closes on the 18th May 2026:
SEND reform: putting children and young people first – Department for Education – Citizen Space