Individual Support Plans Explained

Individual Support Plans, often shortened to ISPs, are part of the Government’s proposed direction for SEND reform in England. They are intended to give children and young people with SEND a clearer written plan for the support they should receive.

This guide explains what Individual Support Plans are expected to do, how they may relate to SEN Support and EHCPs, and what is still not confirmed.

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Independent information note: Find Support UK is an independent directory and information resource. This guide is intended to help families understand SEND reform proposals and current support pathways. It does not provide legal, medical or educational advice.

What Are Individual Support Plans?

An Individual Support Plan is a proposed written plan for a child or young person with SEND. The aim is to make support clearer, more consistent and easier for families and education settings to understand.

In broad terms, an ISP may be expected to record:

  • the child or young person’s identified needs
  • the support they should receive
  • who is responsible for providing that support
  • how the support should be reviewed
  • how parents, carers and the child or young person are involved

The purpose is to make ordinary SEND support more structured, rather than leaving families to rely on informal conversations or unclear school-based arrangements.

Key point

Individual Support Plans are intended to make support clearer for children with SEND, but the detailed legal framework and implementation process are still developing.

Are ISPs in Place Now?

Individual Support Plans are part of the proposed SEND reform direction. They are not a reason to delay seeking help under the current SEND system.

Current SEND law and guidance still apply unless and until legislation, statutory guidance or formal implementation arrangements change them. Families can still use existing routes such as SEN Support, EHC needs assessment requests, annual reviews, complaints and appeals where relevant.

If a child needs support now, parents should continue asking the school, college or local authority for help through the current SEND framework.

Individual Support Plans and SEN Support

SEN Support is the current school-based support route for many children and young people with special educational needs. It should involve identifying needs, planning support, putting support in place and reviewing whether it is working.

Individual Support Plans appear to build on this idea by making support planning more formal and visible. They may help families understand:

  • what needs have been identified
  • what support should be provided
  • how often support should happen
  • who should deliver or oversee support
  • when support should be reviewed
  • what should happen if progress is limited

At this stage, families should treat ISPs as part of the proposed reform direction, not as a replacement for current SEN Support duties.

Individual Support Plans and EHCPs

EHCPs have not been removed. The Government has said that EHCPs will remain for children and young people who need support beyond what is routinely available in mainstream education.

The likely distinction is that Individual Support Plans would be used for structured day-to-day support, while EHCPs would remain for more intensive, complex or specialist provision. However, the detailed boundary between an ISP and an EHCP will need to be clarified through legislation, guidance and implementation.

For families, the practical question will be whether the support a child needs can be delivered through ordinary school-based arrangements, or whether a statutory EHCP is needed to secure more specific or intensive provision.

Key point

An ISP should not be assumed to provide the same legal protection as an EHCP unless legislation confirms this. EHCPs remain important because the provision written into a final EHCP is enforceable under the current system.

What Is Not Yet Confirmed?

Several important details still need to be confirmed before families can fully understand how Individual Support Plans will work in practice.

These include:

  • whether ISPs will carry enforceable legal rights
  • how disagreements about ISP content will be resolved
  • whether families will be able to appeal ISP decisions
  • how ISPs will interact with EHCP assessment requests
  • how schools and local authorities will be held accountable
  • what happens if support written in an ISP is not delivered
  • how children with existing EHCPs will be protected during transition

These are significant issues because families often rely on clear legal routes when support is delayed, reduced or not delivered.

What Families Can Do Now

Families do not need to wait for SEND reform before asking for support. If a child is struggling, parents can still ask the school to explain what support is in place and how it is being reviewed.

Useful steps include:

  • asking whether the child is recorded as receiving SEN Support
  • requesting a written support plan or provision map
  • asking what needs the school has identified
  • asking how progress is being measured
  • keeping copies of school emails, review notes and reports
  • asking whether external advice is needed
  • considering an EHC needs assessment request if support is not enough

The most useful preparation is usually clear evidence: what the child needs, what support has been tried, whether it has worked, and what further support may be required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Individual Support Plans already in use?

Individual Support Plans are part of the proposed SEND reform direction. Some schools may already use individual support plans or similar documents locally, but the national legal and implementation framework is still developing.

Will ISPs replace EHCPs?

EHCPs have not been removed. Government material says EHCPs will remain for children and young people who need support beyond what is routinely available in mainstream education.

Will an ISP be legally enforceable?

This is not yet fully clear. Families should be cautious about assuming an ISP will provide the same enforceable protection as an EHCP unless the final legislation and guidance confirm this.

Can parents still request an EHCP?

Yes. Current SEND law still applies. Parents can still request an EHC needs assessment where they believe a child or young person may need more support than is normally available through SEN Support.

What should parents ask schools for now?

Parents can ask for a written explanation of identified needs, current SEN Support, review dates, progress evidence, external advice and what further support may be considered.

If you are exploring SEND support, EHCPs, school duties or proposed SEND reforms, these guides may also help:

Further Guidance and Trusted SEND Support Resources

The following resources provide useful background on SEND law, guidance and reform:

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