Home-Start co-CEO, Jodie Reed, has responded to the publication of the government’s Schools White Paper, and plans to reform SEND support for children: 

“We welcome a White Paper which acknowledges the essential role of effective early support for babies and children with emerging needs. Evaluations into the Sure Start programme show that by supporting children and their parents in the earliest years, we can improve outcomes and reduce the need for more expensive interventions later.  

“Home-Start volunteers and staff often play an essential role in providing a compassionate and supportive role for parents and children with special educational needs in early childhood.  In this situation, being a parent can be exceptionally isolating and the work we do to build the capacity to manage within the home, and help families navigate services effectively can make all the difference. 

“We look forward to working in partnership with local authorities, Best Start Family Hubs, schools and early years settings to make the most of the government’s new investment in this area and give all children the best start in life.” 

Home-Start supports 76,750 children from 58,000 families across the UK. Around 44% of Home-Starts deliver targeted SEND support to families.