International Best Practices: What England could learn about SEND

International Best Practices for SEND: Lessons for England

What England could learn about SEND.

There are many strengths in its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, including a legal entitlement to support through Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), inclusive education as a policy goal, and strong parental rights. However, many countries achieve better outcomes through earlier intervention, more integrated services, and greater investment in inclusion. Rather than copying another country's system wholesale, England could adopt several successful practices.

1. Finland: Earlier intervention and less bureaucracy

Finland focuses on providing support before difficulties become entrenched.

Key lessons for England include:

• Universal screening and early intervention in the first years of education.

• A three-tier model of support (general, intensified and special support) without requiring complex statutory assessments initially.

• Specialist teachers available within mainstream schools.

• Reduced reliance on diagnoses before support is provided.

What England could learn about SEND:

• Provide intervention based on need rather than waiting for an EHCP.

• Increase specialist staffing in mainstream schools.

• Reduce delays and paperwork that currently prevent timely support.

2. Canada (Ontario): Collaborative planning

Many Canadian provinces place strong emphasis on partnership.

Features include:

• Individual Education Plans (IEPs) developed collaboratively.

• Parents viewed as equal partners.

• Regular review meetings focused on outcomes rather than compliance.

• Flexible adjustments that can be implemented quickly.

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What England could learn about SEND:

• Make annual reviews more collaborative and solution-focused.

• Increase flexibility to change provision without lengthy reassessments.

3. Italy: Inclusion as the default

Italy has largely educated pupils with disabilities in mainstream schools since the 1970s.

Key features:

• Specialist support teachers work alongside classroom teachers.

• Strong expectation that children belong in their local schools.

• Additional adults support inclusion rather than creating separate provision.

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What England could learn about SEND:

• Invest more heavily in specialist teachers working within mainstream schools.

• Improve confidence and training for mainstream staff.

4. New Zealand: Family-centred support

New Zealand's approach emphasises:

• Strengths-based assessment.

• Cultural responsiveness.

• Family involvement throughout planning.

• Coordinated education, health and social care services.

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What England could learn about SEND:

• Make families genuine partners rather than requiring them to fight for services.

• Better integrate education, health and social care.

5. Denmark: Flexible support

Denmark provides:

• Local authority autonomy.

• Flexible allocation of support.

• Strong emphasis on adapting teaching rather than moving pupils.

What England could learn about SEND:

• Give schools greater flexibility to deploy specialist resources.

• Invest more in adapting classrooms and teaching methods.

Common themes across high-performing systems

Several principles appear consistently:

Theme	England today	International good practice
Early intervention	Often delayed	Support starts quickly
Access to services	Diagnosis often drives support.	Need drives support
Inclusion	Variable	Default expectation
Specialist staff	Shortages	Readily available
Parent relationships	Often adversarial	Collaborative
Assessment	Bureaucratic	Proportionate and responsive
Multi-agency working	Fragmented	Integrated health, education and social care

Challenges England would need to address

England faces barriers that many comparator countries have addressed differently:

• Increasing demand for SEND support.

• Workforce shortages (educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, specialist teachers).

• Significant regional variation ("postcode lottery").

• Lengthy EHCP assessment times.

• Funding pressures on local authorities.

• Rising numbers of SEND tribunals, indicating conflict between families and local authorities.

Overall

The strongest lesson from other countries is not simply to spend more, although funding matters. High-performing SEND systems tend to:

• intervene early before needs escalate;

• provide support based on educational need rather than waiting for a diagnosis;

• embed specialist expertise in mainstream schools;

• coordinate education, health and social care more effectively; and

• work collaboratively with families rather than requiring them to navigate lengthy legal and administrative processes.

For England, adopting these principles could reduce demand for statutory plans, improve educational outcomes, and create a more inclusive system while easing pressure on schools and local authorities.