And what we can learn from Families First

With significant changes to the SEND system planned nationally, local authorities are in the process of finalising and submitting reform plans that outline how they will transform locally. 

At our recent webinar, Support with the 2026 SEND Reforms, together with our co-hosts, Mime– data specialists for local government, we brought together local government leaders and officers with responsibility for SEND specifically to discuss planning for the upcoming reforms. We explored how lessons from the Families First children’s social care reforms can help councils prepare for SEND transformation. 

In this blog, written by Rebecca Smith, Principal Consultant at 31ten, we summarise the key themes discussed, highlight the challenges delegates identified through our live polling, and explore how the experience of implementing national reforms in children’s social care can provide valuable insights for SEND. 

The challenges organisations are already facing 

During the webinar, delegates were asked about the issues they see as most critical in preparing for SEND reform. 

Three themes emerged consistently: 

• Effective cross-organisational working to deliver transformation
• Meaningful co-production with children, young people and families
• The culture change needed to shift perceptions, expectations and ways of working 

These challenges will feel familiar to anyone who has been involved in large-scale public sector reform. They are also similar to the issues local authorities have faced while implementing the Families First Partnership Programme. 

Over the last year, 31ten has supported councils to design and implement Families First reforms. While the policy context is different, many of the lessons learned are directly applicable to SEND. 

Shared ownership is essential – but not automatic 

Delegates also highlighted the challenge of delivering transformation across organisational boundaries. 

SEND outcomes depend on collaboration between education, health, social care and wider partners. However, experience from Families First demonstrates that reform can often be perceived as something owned by a single organisation rather than a shared responsibility. 

Successful implementation requires more than good relationships. It needs clear governance, shared accountability, joint planning and collective decision-making. 

A key lesson from Families First has been the value of taking time to establish a common vision and create structures that support partnership working over the long term. 

In focus: Families First Partnership Programme Implementation Support at Brent Council 

Our work with Brent Council provides an example of this in practice. Supporting the Families First programme involved developing partnership governance arrangements and facilitating a system-wide needs and maturity assessment, helping partners build a shared understanding of priorities and ownership of change. 

Co-design makes national reform meaningful locally 

A key message from the webinar was that national reform can only succeed when it is translated into something that reflects local needs, priorities and experiences. 

Families First implementation has shown that reforms are most effective when they are developed with the people who will use and deliver services. Local authorities that have invested early in co-production have been better able to create solutions that work for their communities and secure buy-in from stakeholders. 

For SEND reform, this means involving children, young people, families, schools, health partners and practitioners from the outset. Rather than beginning with predefined solutions, local authorities should focus on developing a shared local vision and designing services collaboratively. 

In focus: Co-production of Suffolk’s All Age Autism Partnership and Strategy 

This approach is reflected in our work supporting Suffolk County Council’s Autism Strategy, where residents with lived experience helped shape a new partnership model, strategy and action plan. The result was a more meaningful and locally relevant approach to change. 

Culture change takes longer than structural change 

While structures, processes and governance arrangements can often be redesigned relatively quickly, changing behaviours, attitudes and ways of working always takes far longer. 

Delegates recognised this challenge in the SEND context, particularly around parental perceptions, professional practice and expectations of the system. 

Through our Families First experience, we know that successful reform depends on bringing people along on the journey. Early communication, workforce engagement, ongoing learning and visible leadership all play a crucial role in embedding change. 

Practitioners need the tools, confidence and support to adopt new approaches. Equally, families need to understand not just what is changing, but why. 

This was a key finding from our work to develop an Alternative Provision and Belonging Strategy for North Northamptonshire Council which highlighted the importance of aligning organisational vision, culture and leadership to achieve sustainable transformation. 

Turning insight into action 

The webinar reinforced a simple but important message – SEND reform is not just a programme of structural change. It is an opportunity to rethink how organisations work together with children, young people and families to improve outcomes. 

The lessons emerging from Families First implementation provide a valuable starting point. Co-design, shared ownership and long-term culture change are not optional extras; they are fundamental ingredients for successful reform. 

As councils begin to develop their plans for SEND transformation, there is a significant opportunity to build on what has already been learned across children’s services. 

Get in touch 

If you would like to explore any of the case studies referenced in this article, or discuss how 31ten can support your organisation’s approach to SEND reform, please contact me directly – Rebecca.smith@31tenconsulting.co.uk, or get in touch via our website, we’d be delighted to hear from you.