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'Right Support, Right Place, Right Time; Right Mess!' Professionals' Views on Factors Influencing the SEND System and Outcomes for Children and Families in England: A Qualitative Study

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Title: 'Right Support, Right Place, Right Time; Right Mess!' Professionals' Views on Factors Influencing the SEND System and Outcomes for Children and Families in England: A Qualitative Study
Language: English
Authors: Jennifer Saxton (ORCID 0000-0003-4353-0653), Isaac Winterburn, Jacob Matthews, Joanna Anderson, Will Farr (ORCID 0000-0003-3644-5311), Saira Minhas, Sarah Smith, Tamsin Ford, HOPE team
Source: Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs. 2026 26(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Access to Education, Barriers, Resources, Parent Role, Family Role, Students with Disabilities, Family School Relationship, Student Needs, School Personnel, Allied Health Personnel, Role
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
DOI: 10.1111/1471-3802.70080
ISSN: 1471-3802
Abstract: The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system in England is under scrutiny. Critics highlight inefficient service design, poor implementation, and adversarial processes that cause family-level distress. Unmet needs deprive children of learning, harming long-term prospects. Legislative changes in 2014 mandated professionals from multiple sectors to produce integrated child-centred support plans. Since then, little peer-reviewed research has asked professionals about key influences on SEND provision, interagency working or service-user outcomes. We conducted focus-group discussions with 35 SEND professionals, using a topic guide co-developed with parents/carers of children with SEND. Thematic analysis identified several system-level influences: increasing bureaucracy which diverted resources from early intervention; increasing SEND presentations and complexity; inadequate resources and training; over-dependence on parents'/'carers' advocacy; poor relationships with families; harmful education policies. Good interagency working depended on information sharing, relationships, shared understandings of SEND and access to specialists. Long waiting-lists, delayed provision and gaps in post-16 services worsened children's outcomes. Securing SEND provision was said to punish parents/carers; children with fewer resources were unseen. Repairing the system requires parallel actions to increase human resources, improve training and interagency working, and reduce parent/carer burden when obtaining SEND provision. Without substantial investment, delivering a child-centred system that meets needs remains impossible.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504035
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: 'Right Support, Right Place, Right Time; Right Mess!' Professionals' Views on Factors Influencing the SEND System and Outcomes for Children and Families in England: A Qualitative Study
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jennifer+Saxton%22">Jennifer Saxton</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4353-0653">0000-0003-4353-0653</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Isaac+Winterburn%22">Isaac Winterburn</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jacob+Matthews%22">Jacob Matthews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joanna+Anderson%22">Joanna Anderson</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Will+Farr%22">Will Farr</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3644-5311">0000-0003-3644-5311</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Saira+Minhas%22">Saira Minhas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarah+Smith%22">Sarah Smith</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tamsin+Ford%22">Tamsin Ford</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22HOPE+team%22">HOPE team</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Research+in+Special+Educational+Needs%22"><i>Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs</i></searchLink>. 2026 26(2).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Education%22">Access to Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Resources%22">Resources</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Role%22">Parent Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Role%22">Family Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students+with+Disabilities%22">Students with Disabilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+School+Relationship%22">Family School Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Needs%22">Student Needs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Personnel%22">School Personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Allied+Health+Personnel%22">Allied Health Personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Role%22">Role</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom+%28England%29%22">United Kingdom (England)</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/1471-3802.70080
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  Data: 1471-3802
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system in England is under scrutiny. Critics highlight inefficient service design, poor implementation, and adversarial processes that cause family-level distress. Unmet needs deprive children of learning, harming long-term prospects. Legislative changes in 2014 mandated professionals from multiple sectors to produce integrated child-centred support plans. Since then, little peer-reviewed research has asked professionals about key influences on SEND provision, interagency working or service-user outcomes. We conducted focus-group discussions with 35 SEND professionals, using a topic guide co-developed with parents/carers of children with SEND. Thematic analysis identified several system-level influences: increasing bureaucracy which diverted resources from early intervention; increasing SEND presentations and complexity; inadequate resources and training; over-dependence on parents'/'carers' advocacy; poor relationships with families; harmful education policies. Good interagency working depended on information sharing, relationships, shared understandings of SEND and access to specialists. Long waiting-lists, delayed provision and gaps in post-16 services worsened children's outcomes. Securing SEND provision was said to punish parents/carers; children with fewer resources were unseen. Repairing the system requires parallel actions to increase human resources, improve training and interagency working, and reduce parent/carer burden when obtaining SEND provision. Without substantial investment, delivering a child-centred system that meets needs remains impossible.
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  Data: 2026
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        Value: 10.1111/1471-3802.70080
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Access to Education
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      – SubjectFull: Barriers
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      – SubjectFull: Students with Disabilities
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