Last updated: 11 October 2026, 2:15am BST
East Sussex County Council’s three-year SEND reform plan has received government approval, making the authority eligible for a High Needs Stability Grant covering 90% of its eligible high-needs Dedicated Schools Grant deficit. The decision was announced on 8 October and moves the plan from preparation to delivery.
At a glance
- The approved East Sussex Local SEND Reform Plan runs from 2026 to 2029.
- Approval makes the council eligible for a grant covering 90% of its eligible high-needs deficit accrued to the end of 2025/26.
- A new “Experts at Hand” offer is intended to expand access to speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, educational psychologists and specialist teachers.
- A board including parents, young people, schools, health, education and social-care representatives will monitor delivery.
What the East Sussex SEND reform plan changes
The council’s announcement says the plan is built around earlier help, quicker identification of needs and more support for children to remain in their local school or setting where that is appropriate.
The local partnership includes East Sussex County Council, the Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board, schools, trusts, colleges, families, young people and other support services. The plan promises stronger help in mainstream settings, early years and post-16 provision, rather than treating SEND as an education-only issue.
The financial approval matters too. Government guidance says every authority with an eligible Dedicated Schools Grant deficit can receive a High Needs Stability Grant covering 90% of the qualifying deficit built up by the end of 2025/26, but only after the Department for Education approves its local reform plan. The national funding guide places that support within a £4 billion SEND reform package over three years.
East Sussex has not put a final cash value on its grant in the announcement. The percentage should therefore not be mistaken for a confirmed cheque amount available immediately for individual pupils or schools.
Why it matters to East Sussex families
The latest SEND governance notes show that local oversight is already focused on four persistent problems identified after the November 2024 area inspection: the quality and timeliness of Education, Health and Care Plans; waits for children’s mental-health and wheelchair services; inclusion in early years, schools and colleges; and the availability of alternative and post-16 provision.
Those are the tests that matter more than the approval headline. Families will feel change only if assessments happen sooner, plans are reviewed on time, schools can reach specialists before a child reaches crisis point and waiting families receive useful support.
Parents should also know that approval does not cancel existing EHCP applications, annual reviews, appeals or health referrals. Normal statutory and clinical processes continue while the reform programme is introduced.
Brighton Locals’ view
Government approval and deficit support are positive because they remove a major financial uncertainty and give East Sussex permission to start a joined-up programme. But approval is a starting line, not evidence that services have improved.
The council and its partners should publish a short public scorecard covering EHCP timeliness, therapy vacancies, waiting times, mainstream support and post-16 capacity. Without dates and measurable baselines, “earlier help” will be difficult for families to test.
What families should do
- Read the plan and future updates on the East Sussex Local Offer.
- Keep using existing school SENCO, EHCP and health-service routes; do not wait for the new programme if a child needs help now.
- Keep copies of requests, reports and deadlines. Reform does not remove statutory timescales or appeal rights.
- Check the SEND Strategy Governance Board page for meeting notes and evidence of progress.
What to watch next
The next useful evidence will be the confirmed grant value, recruitment dates for the specialist team, school access arrangements and the board’s first published performance measures. Those details will show whether the plan is improving front-line capacity or mainly repairing the council’s deficit position.
Bottom line
East Sussex has secured approval and a route to major deficit relief. Families now need visible staffing, shorter waits and better support in ordinary settings before the reform can be judged a success.
Related: East Sussex school flu vaccines: what parents need to do.
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