Click the plus button above to add your question.

If someone has already asked the same question, use and emoji to show you want to ask the same or agree etc.

We’re inviting colleagues from across Children’s Services and partner organisations to become Change-Makers for the Children’s Transformation Programme.

Change-Makers play a vital role in helping shape and embed the new ways of working.

This isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about bringing workforce insight, testing ideas in practice, and helping changes land well in teams.

As a Change-Maker, you will:

• Act as a link between your team and the transformation work

• Share feedback, questions and ideas from practice

• Help sense check plans and highlight what will work (and what won’t)

• Support colleagues to understand what’s changing and why

You don’t need a formal role or specialist background – just an interest in improving how we work together to support children, young people and families.

If you’d like to get involved, speak to your manager, Task & Finish Group representative or email childrens.transformation@shropshire.gov.uk

Together, we can make sure the future system is designed with the workforce, not for the workforce.

1. Inclusive Mainstream Fund

Supports mainstream schools to embed inclusive practice and provide early support without reliance on diagnosis or statutory processes.

• Guidance & methodology (2026–27):
  Inclusive Mainstream Fund for schools: methodology 2026 to 2027

• Overview page:
  Inclusive Mainstream Fund – GOV.UK collection

2. Early Years Fund (Inclusive Early Years Fund)

Upfront funding for early years providers to build inclusive practice and enable early intervention for children with SEND.

• Conditions of grant & operational guidance (for LAs):
  Inclusive early years fund for 2026 to 2027 – GOV.UK

• Sector summary of key requirements:
  DfE confirms further details on the Inclusive Early Years Fund

3. High Needs Capital Allocations

Capital funding for LAs to create new SEND and AP places and improve existing provision across the 0–25 age range.

• Main guidance page:
  High needs provision capital allocations – GOV.UK

• Detailed guidance (what funding can be used for):
  High needs provision capital allocations: guidance

• 2026–27 memorandum of understanding:
  High needs provision capital allocation 2026 to 2027 – MoU

4. Expert at Hand Grant (Experts at Hand)

Funding for LAs (with ICB partners) to provide specialist education and health expertise into mainstream settings without requiring EHCPs.

• Official funding guidance (2026–27):
  Experts at Hand & Local Authority SEND Transformation Fund – GOV.UK

• Sector briefing and interpretation:
  Government unveils £429m ‘Experts at Hand’ offer

5. Transformation Grant (SEND Transformation Funding)

Part of the combined Experts at Hand & SEND Transformation Fund, supporting system-wide reform, workforce, and delivery infrastructure.

• Included within the same guidance:
  Experts at Hand & Local Authority SEND Transformation Fund – GOV.UK

• Context within wider SEND reform investment:
  DfE announces SEND reform spending plan

During the previous transformation process, roles were not advertised simultaneously, which left staff having to decide whether to apply without having visibility of all available opportunities. I would appreciate any clarification on how this process will be managed this time.

HAF is a valuable provision for many families and is greatly appreciated where it meets their needs. However, some SEND families, particularly those with children who have more complex needs, can find it difficult to access sessions safely or appropriately. Similarly, older children and teenagers may be less likely to engage with the activities on offer.

While the allocation of 16 sessions per child is helpful, families have shared concerns that this may only cover a small proportion of meals across the six-week summer holiday, leaving them worried about how they will meet their children's basic needs for the remainder of the break.

We continue to support families through food bank referrals where appropriate, although we are finding that some households are approaching or have reached the limits of what local food banks can provide within a year.

I wondered whether there are any plans to further develop HAF provision for SEND children and young people, particularly teenagers, and whether any additional support or funding may be considered for families experiencing the most financial hardship?