Purpose

The SEND reform aims to improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. A key element of this programme is the implementation of the Experts at Hand (EAH) model, which aims to provide timely, specialist advice, build workforce confidence, and reduce escalation to statutory services.
The creation of four Locality Inclusion and Learning Lead roles will:
• Provide dedicated leadership across localities to embed inclusive practice in education settings.
• Support early intervention and reduce demand on high-cost statutory services.
• Strengthen system-wide collaboration between education, health, and social care partners.
• Enable consistent implementation of EAH, ensuring practitioners have access to high- quality advice and guidance.
• Improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND through earlier support and improved inclusion in mainstream settings.
Recruitment to these posts is necessary to ensure sufficient capacity and leadership within localities to deliver these priorities at pace and scale.

Decision

Recruit to four full time Locality Inclusion and Learning Lead roles on a permanent basis to strengthen locality-based inclusion, support delivery of SEND reforms, and embed the Experts at Hand model across the system.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing
• Rejected due to inability to deliver SEND reforms and EAH effectively.
• Would likely result in continued pressure on statutory services and poorer outcomes. Redistribute responsibilities within existing teams
• Rejected due to current capacity constraints and risk of diluting existing service delivery.
• Would not provide the dedicated strategic and operational focus required. Short-term or agency staffing solution
• Rejected due to lack of continuity, higher costs, and reduced ability to embed sustainable system change.
Centralised model rather than locality-based roles
• Rejected as it would not support local relationships, tailored responses, or place-based
working central to EAH and SEND reform principles