Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are set to benefit from earlier, more consistent specialist support as the government rolls out new Experts at Hand teams across England, guided by a national panel that includes Professor Courtenay Norbury (UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences).
From September 2026, every local area will begin expanding access to speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, educational psychologists and specialist teachers, who will work directly alongside mainstream schools, early years settings and colleges. The aim is to help staff identify needs earlier and put support in place more quickly without requiring a formal diagnosis.
At the heart of the rollout is a newly established national expert panel, which will help shape the future of SEND provision in England. Among its members is Professor Courtenay Norbury, Vice Dean for Research at UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences and Professor of Developmental Disorders of Language and Communication.
The panel brings together leaders from education, health, academia and parent advocacy to oversee the development of National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages. Co-chaired by Tom Rees and Dr Anne Gordon, it will ensure that reforms are grounded in robust evidence and practical expertise.
The National Inclusion Standards developed by the panel will define what good support looks like across the country, helping ensure consistency and reducing the postcode lottery that has left many families struggling to access help.
For children with the most complex needs, Specialist Provision Packages will underpin Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), clearly setting out the support they should receive.
The panel will also work closely with stakeholders and a dedicated parent engagement group to ensure its recommendations reflect both professional expertise and lived experience.
The reforms form part of the government’s wider plans for SEND, to be taken forward through the proposed Education for All Bill, aiming to ensure every child and young person has a clear route to high-quality support.
Professor Courtenay Norbury said: “I’m looking forward to working with colleagues on developing evidence-based support programmes for young people with special educational needs. This is a unique opportunity to ensure all children can develop the skills they need for school success, well-being and future participation in society.”
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ Chief Executive Steve Jamieson said: “We’re delighted that Professor Courtenay Norbury has been appointed to the Government’s Expert Panel for SEND.
“Speech, language and communication needs are the most common type of SEND, so it’s vital that the unique expertise of speech and language therapists such as Professor Norbury is central to the development of both the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages.”