“Every Child Achieving and Thriving” – February 2026

The British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) welcomes the publication of the Government’s SEND reforms White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, and the accompanying consultation SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First. The White Paper rightly recognises that too many children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are being failed by inconsistent systems, late intervention and poor preparation for adulthood, including employment. We commend the explicit emphasis within the document that life outcomes, including employment, and its recognition that inconsistent preparation for adulthood is a systemic weakness that must be addressed for reform to succeed.

Employment as a core outcome, not an add‑on

For many years, BASE and its members have highlighted that employment too often sits at the margins of SEND planning, rather than at its heart. We therefore strongly welcome the White Paper’s clear statement that SEND reform must support young people to lead productive adult lives, with employment recognised as a central outcome alongside education, health and wellbeing. 

This aligns closely with the SEND Code of Practice’s Preparing for Adulthood duties and reinforces the principle that employment should be planned for early, ambitiously and consistently, not deferred until education ends.

Stronger transitions into adulthood and work

BASE supports the White Paper’s focus on strengthening transitions, particularly at post‑16 and post‑19 stages. Too many young people with SEND experience a cliff‑edge as they leave education, losing momentum, support and opportunity at precisely the point where pathways into work should be strongest.

The proposals to improve data‑sharing, clarify accountability for transitions, and strengthen continuity of support across education, health and other systems are positive steps forward. For these reforms to deliver real impact, employment pathways must be embedded within transition planning as a matter of course and quality measurements must include Employment as a core measure of success. 

Evidence‑based pathways must sit at the centre of reform

The White Paper repeatedly emphasises the need for evidence‑based practice and a shift away from process‑driven systems towards outcomes that genuinely change lives. BASE strongly supports this direction. 

There is a robust national and international evidence base demonstrating that Supported Employment, including Supported Internships, is highly effective in supporting young people with SEND—particularly those with learning disabilities and autism—into sustained paid employment. These approaches exemplify the “what works” principle the White Paper champions and must be treated as core delivery mechanisms, not optional enhancements.

Joined‑up systems are essential

BASE welcomes the White Paper’s clear acknowledgement that fragmentation between education, health, care and wider systems has undermined outcomes for young people with SEND. The commitment to improved integration and clearer accountability reflects long‑standing calls from the Supported Employment sector for joined‑up pathways into work, rather than parallel systems that leave young people and families navigating gaps alone. 

We note the importance of alignment with wider government initiatives, including the Youth Guarantee, and stress that young people with SEND must be explicitly included and supported through evidence‑based pathways within these programmes, rather than assumed to benefit from generic approaches.