Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) have long been a lifeline for children with special educational needs and disabilities. More than just paperwork, these plans are legally binding commitments that ensure tailored support for those who need it most. But in recent weeks, that lifeline has come under threat.
Ministers have faced mounting pressure to rule out the abolition of EHCPs, amid concerns that thousands of children could lose access to education altogether if reforms go the wrong way. Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on 6th July, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson called it a “complex and sensitive area,” refusing to rule out scrapping the plans – fueling widespread anxiety among families, practitioners, and sector leaders.
Campaigners, including parents, charity leaders, and public figures such as Sally Phillips and Chris Packham, have sounded the alarm: EHCPs are not optional. In an open letter to The Guardian, they warned that removing these “precious legal protections” could leave many children invisible in a system already stretched to breaking point.
We share their concern. The future of SEND support cannot be decided in a vacuum. And it cannot be paused while politics plays out.
At Evolve, we believe children need more certainty – not less. They need structures that protect their growth, not threaten their access. Even as policy shifts and reviews unfold, schools, families, and local authorities still face a daily reality: rising need, limited capacity, and the urgent demand for solutions that work now.
2. Beyond the headlines: what’s really at risk
Behind the political statements and carefully worded interviews lies a far more sobering reality: need is rising faster than the system can respond.
This year alone, over 638,000 children in England have an Education, Health and Care Plan in place – a record high, and a 10.8% increase in just 12 months.
The number of new EHCPs issued has grown by nearly 16%, with over 154,000 children now waiting to be assessed【BBC News.
These represent real children – each with unique challenges, unmet needs, and a right to an education that works for them.
And yet, the system designed to support them is showing signs of strain at every level.
Local authorities face backlogs and funding pressures. Schools are stretched thin, often left to navigate complex cases without adequate external support. Families – already exhausted by the fight to be heard – now face the looming possibility of losing the very mechanism that guarantees their child’s provision.
We’re seeing children go without timely intervention. We’re seeing teachers trying to plug gaps they were never trained or resourced to fill. And we’re seeing parents losing trust in a system that feels increasingly fragile, inconsistent, and unresponsive.
When policy becomes uncertain, practice becomes unstable. And when provision falters, it’s the most vulnerable pupils who feel it first.
That’s why this moment matters so much. We are not simply debating reform – we are deciding whether support will remain a right, or become a privilege. The consequences of getting it wrong won’t play out in press conferences. They’ll play out in classrooms, playgrounds, and living rooms across the country.
And they’re already starting to.
That’s where LEAP comes in.
As uncertainty swirls around national policy, LEAP offers something schools can rely on: a proven, proactive model that wraps support around children before crisis hits.
3. LEAP as a Safeguard: Protecting Progress on the Ground
In a moment of national uncertainty, one truth remains clear: children can’t pause their development while the system decides what comes next.
That’s why LEAP exists – not as a replacement for EHCPs, but as a critical layer of protection around them.
While families wait months (or longer) for assessments…
While schools manage growing need with shrinking capacity…
While local authorities juggle rising demand with finite budgets…
LEAP steps in where the gaps are most profound.
At its core, LEAP is a structured, evidence-based programme designed to do three things exceptionally well:
- Provide consistent adult relationships and pastoral stability
- Build executive function and emotional regulation
- Translate personal growth into academic, social, and behavioural progress
Our Health Mentors develop children’s capacity to self-manage, thrive, and participate in learning – skills that strengthen the impact of any formal plan and help mitigate risk when delays occur. In schools where EHCPs are pending, contested, or stretched thin, LEAP ensures that children aren’t left unsupported.
That’s why we’re already working in partnership with schools and local authorities who see the writing on the wall. They know the strain. They know the stakes. And they know they need more than good intentions. They need a model that works now.
But people alone aren’t enough. Structure matters.
LEAP follows a weekly, timetabled programme tailored to each school’s context and each pupil’s needs. It’s a carefully calibrated blend of:
- 1:1 mentoring sessions to address personal challenges
- Small group work developing executive function, social skills, and emotional literacy
- Enrichment activities that reveal talents, build identity, and boost motivation
- Classroom integration that ensures learning sticks and skills transfer
To make progress visible, we use the Evolve Development Tracker, our proprietary assessment and impact tracking platform. Schools and families receive real-time, evidence-based insights into each pupil’s journey. It’s how we ensure accountability, celebrate growth, and stay aligned with priorities – even when formal support is delayed.
And we don’t spread thin. Each LEAP programme supports up to 30 carefully identified pupils, chosen through a wellbeing-informed, data-driven process. These are the children at highest risk of falling through the cracks – and LEAP wraps the right intervention around them.
A Call to Leaders: Keep Support Standing
To School Leaders:
You don’t have to wait for policy to provide structure. LEAP is a ready-to-implement model that lightens the pastoral load, strengthens inclusion, and supports your most vulnerable pupils with confidence.
To Local Authorities:
Amid rising demand and stretched teams, LEAP is a project you can trust. We reduce backlog risk, stabilise SEND provision, and bring measurable improvement – without adding new burdens to the system.
To Policymakers:
Do not dismantle protections for children. Do not replace a broken system with an empty one. Scale what works. Strengthen what matters. Safeguard what’s essential.
Because the children who need us most aren’t watching policy announcements – they’re watching their teachers, their schools, their days unfold.
Let’s make sure those days include the support they deserve.
LEAP is ready.
