Local SEND Reform Plans – Achieving your goals for SLCN support
Supporting SEND Reform Through Strong Universal and Targeted Provision – The Role of Speech & Language Link:
The SEND reform programme sets out a clear ambition: to rebalance the system away from late identification, inconsistent thresholds and over-reliance on statutory processes, towards earlier intervention, inclusive mainstream provision and more effective use of specialist expertise.
Through Local SEND Reform Plans, local authorities are expected to demonstrate how Universal and Targeted provision can meet need, reduce escalation and deliver improved outcomes.
The publication of the Experts at Hand (EaH) Year‑1 guidance (June 2026) provides further clarity on how this ambition will be delivered in practice. It establishes EaH as a core enabler of system-wide reform, with a strong focus on strengthening mainstream inclusion, early identification and workforce capability.
Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in the local SEND reform plan context
Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) remain a critical consideration within SEND reform:
- they are highly prevalent – 1 in 4 on SEN Support have SLCN as primary need –
- frequently co-occur with other needs
- strongly predict educational, social and mental health outcomes
However, SLCN are often under-identified, particularly at Universal and Targeted levels, where identification can rely heavily on observation rather than structured assessment.
This creates a key challenge: pupils may struggle unnoticed until difficulties escalate, triggering more intensive and costly intervention. The SEND reform agenda – and the EaH model in particular – places renewed emphasis on identifying need earlier and responding more effectively within mainstream settings, making SLCN a central priority. The Speech & Language Link statistically robust and easy to deliver screening tools enable this to happen across schools and EY settings.
Experts at Hand – strengthening the whole system
Experts at Hand is a new national offer being introduced from September 2026 to improve how children and young people with SEND are supported.
It is designed to:
- provide timely, needs-led support without requiring diagnosis
- bring specialist expertise (including speech and language therapy) into mainstream settings
- build workforce capability through coaching, modelling and collaboration
- improve early identification and intervention at scale
In its first year, EaH delivery will focus primarily on:
- whole-class and small-group support
- advice, consultation and training for staff
- targeted one-to-one intervention where most needed
This reflects a deliberate focus on maximising reach and strengthening Universal and Targeted provision, rather than creating a parallel specialist service. Speech & Language Link is designed to facilitate both universal and targeted provision and enhance informed communication with services such as Experts at Hand.
A partnership-led, system-wide approach
The latest guidance makes clear that EaH must be delivered through strong local area partnerships, with:
- joint commissioning by local authorities and integrated care boards (ICBs)
- clear governance and accountability structures
- shared responsibility for planning, delivery and impact
This reinforces that EaH is not a standalone initiative, but a core mechanism for delivering Local SEND Reform Plans, embedded within wider system transformation.
Implications for layers of provision
A key priority within SEND reform is ensuring that Universal and Targeted provision is:
- proactive rather than reactive
- evidence-based and consistent
- capable of meeting need without escalation wherever possible
There is a recognised risk that pupils can remain in Universal provision without effective identification or intervention, particularly for needs such as SLCN.
Experts at Hand addresses this by:
- improving access to specialist advice earlier
- supporting staff to deliver effective provision within everyday practice
- strengthening the link between identification, planning and intervention
Local SEND Reform Plans must therefore demonstrate how EaH is being used to enhance the quality and impact of Universal and Targeted support, not just specialist input.
The role of Experts at Hand in supporting SLCN
The EaH model is particularly well aligned for SLCN support because:
- these needs benefit from early, structured identification
- they respond well to universal and targeted interventions
- they can be effectively supported through whole-class and workforce-based approaches
The guidance also confirms that speech and language therapists are a core funded professional group within EaH, alongside educational psychologists, occupational therapists and specialist teachers.
This creates a significant opportunity to:
- improve the visibility and prioritisation of SLCN
- embed therapist-supported approaches across mainstream settings
- reduce longer-term demand for specialist services
Delivering impact at scale with Speech & Language Link
Speech & Language Link provides a system-level response that aligns closely with the expectations of both SEND reform and the Experts at Hand model
Settings are supported to:
- carry out robust, standardised assessment
- identify SLCN early and consistently
- link assessment outcomes directly to appropriate interventions
- evidence that provision is planned, delivered and effective
…this enables schools and local authorities to demonstrate that Universal and Targeted provision is:
- proactive and preventative
- evidence-based
- responsive to need
This is fully aligned with EaH’s emphasis on building local capacity, embedding best practice and delivering support at scale within mainstream settings.
Delivered remotely across more than 4,000 early years and school settings, from EYFS to KS3, Speech & Language Link supports consistency, efficiency and impact across local systems.
Local SEND reform plans – Looking ahead
The introduction of Experts at Hand marks an important step in delivering a more inclusive, effective SEND system.
For Local SEND Reform Plans, the priority is clear:
- strengthen Universal and Targeted provision
- embed early identification and intervention
- build workforce capability across education and health
- ensure specialist expertise is used where it has greatest impact – the original driver behind Speech & Language Link