Hello members,

Since the SEND Reforms were announced a couple of weeks ago, we have been carefully digesting information that has been published and what we have heard as an organisation. Please find NAPLIC’s official response to the SEND Reforms below. We will continue to be involved in conversations at all levels, as we try and influence policy and practice and campaign to support the needs of children and families living with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).

Below is a shortened version of the information in our official response:

The White Paper contains promising commitments, particularly around early intervention and SLT access. But the success of the reforms for children with DLD will depend on the detail: how eligibility is defined, how specialists are funded and deployed, and how children’s and parents’ rights are protected.

We call for:

1. Clear, transparent criteria showing how children with DLD will qualify for Specialist Provision Packages and EHCPs.
2. Guaranteed access to speech and language therapy for children with DLD at all levels of the new tiered system.
3. Stronger rights for parents in the creation, review, and challenge of Individual Support Plans.
4. National Inclusion Standards that explicitly reference DLD and set out minimum expectations for language-supportive practice in mainstream settings.
5. Robust accountability mechanisms, including safeguarding against resource-driven decisions that may override children’s needs.
6. A workforce plan to ensure an adequate supply of Specialist SLCN teachers, Speech and Language Therapists and Educational Psychologists to meet the increased demand.

NAPLIC’s Next Steps:

NAPLIC will continue to engage with the consultation process to ensure that the voices and needs of children with DLD and their families are at the heart of the reforms.

• As part of the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance (SLCA), NAPLIC will contribute to the collective response to the White Paper to strengthen advocacy for better outcomes.

• We will be asking for direct responses from our members and partners on key questions that we want raised as part of the changes and the review – keep an eye out for how you can get involved on our social media, newsletters and at our conference on May 9^th in Birmingham – https://www.naplic.org.uk/conferences/

Other curriculum developments that we have recently been involved with:

• We have been involved in the development of the Specialist resourced speech and language provisions guidance (published January 2026), highlighting what good provision looks like https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SpecialistResourcedProvisionGuidance_Final.pdf
• NAPLIC have been part of the Four Nation Working Group Report on (Developmental) Language Disorders (D) LD and Exam Access Arrangements – highlighting challenges and improvements https://www.rcslt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/RCSLT-Four-Nation-Report-on-Developmental-Language-Disorder-DLD-and-Exam-Access-Arrangements-January-2026-1-1.pdf

Please see Naplic’s full response to the Whites Paper below: