The IPPR Inclusion Taskforce will be chaired by Geoff Barton CBE, former general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, and brings together leaders from education, politics and policy, as well as parents, to find solutions to the growing problems around special needs and disabilities.
The taskforce will address urgent challenges, including long delays in assessment, inadequate and patchy provision, and consistently poor outcomes for children.
Principles for reform
The panel will gather evidence which will lead to the development of a robust set of principles for education reform. Its final recommendations will be published in the autumn in a white paper, providing independent input and insights that will help the government to formulate future SEND policy.
At the time of writing, it was unclear whether education, health care plans (EHCPs) would be scrapped by Ministers.
The full membership of the task force is:
- Geoff Barton CBE – former teacher, headteacher and general secretary of ASCL
- Baroness Morgan of Cote – former Secretary of State for Education
- Baroness Anne Longfield OBE – executive chair & founder of the Centre for Young Lives, and former Children’s Commissioner for England
- Jonny Uttley – CEO of the Education Alliance Multi-Academy Trust
- Leora Cruddas CBE – founding chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts
- Wasim Butt – national director at Ormiston Academies Trust
- Hilary Spencer – CEO of Ambition Institute
- Margaret Mullholland – SEND specialist at ASCL and advisor to the UK government
- Susan Tranter – chief executive of EdAct Trust
- John Pearce – former President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS)
- Chris Paterson – acting co-CEO at the Education Endowment Foundation
- Sarah Clarke and Jo Harrison – parents and co-chairs of the National Network of Parent and Carer Forums
Weekly podcasts
As part of the Inclusion Taskforce’s work, Barton will host two podcasts every week, discussing the challenges and opportunities for reform.
He will speak to parents, practitioners, and policymakers, sharing their experiences, insights, and ideas for change.
The Inclusion Taskforce will also hear evidence from expert panels of educators, families, and other professionals working in the system.
Barton said: “The current SEND system is letting down far too many children, their families, and the professionals working tirelessly to support them. This taskforce brings together people with the expertise, lived experience, and determination to imagine a system that works for everyone — and to set out a practical plan to get there.
“It will be supported by a suite of podcast conversations designed to illuminate many key aspects of how we make our education system genuinely work for every child and young person from every background.”
Professor Ashwin Kumar, director of research and policy at IPPR, said “Fixing the SEND system is not only a moral imperative, it is essential for our country’s future. Too many children are being denied the support they need to thrive, and the cost of inaction is measured in wasted potential and growing inequality.
“This taskforce will bring together the evidence, expertise and lived experience needed to set out a credible plan for change.
Cross-refer to Geoff Barton’s first person piece in Features.
