Labour’s SEND reforms will ensure children and young people get the right support earlier and close to home, without having to fight for it, and are being co-designed with parents so everyone as confidence in the system we’re building.
I’ve continuously heard from families in Portsmouth that, currently, too many children in Portsmouth wait months or even years for support that never comes, support that is vital to ensuring they have the skills they need throughout education and beyond.
To ensure support is available throughout education at the earliest stage, Labour is investing £1.8 billion over three years in our new Experts at Hand offer which will widen access to advice, guidance and support from specialists, like speech and language therapists and educational psychologists in our community.
We’re getting on with making this service a reality and that’s why this week, we’ve confirmed £429 million for 2026-27, including over £1.5 million in Portsmouth.
This cash boost will transform outcomes for children across the country, including in Portsmouth, who will be able to access the support they need close to home, without moving away from their friends.
Nurseries, schools and colleges across the city will be able to benefit, with the funding delivered to Portsmouth City Council to create more opportunities for experts to work directly with schools and children.
Whether it’s a visit from a speech and language therapist or an educational psychologist, or outreach from specialist SEND practitioners, a visit from SEND teachers to upskill staff, the new service will ensure specialist support is available to children in our community who need it.
No EHCP required, no postcode lottery – the same high standards up and down the country.
This builds on the £2.2 million that Portsmouth received last month, to build new specialist SEND places here on our doorstep, so children don’t have to travel far from home to get the education they deserve.
Taken together, these steps show that Labour is matching our ambition with funding. We won’t leave parents or staff high and dry, without the backing they need to make these changes work.
With new specialist places close to home, the biggest SEND teacher training package in our history and services to get support in place quicker and earlier, Labour is building a system where every child can achieve and thrive.
