What Is the Experts at Hand Service?
Quick Summary
- Experts at Hand is a SEND reform programme intended to help mainstream schools access specialist education and health expertise earlier.
- It may involve support from professionals such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, specialist teachers and inclusion specialists.
- It is linked to wider SEND reform plans around earlier support, mainstream inclusion and more consistent local provision.
- It does not replace current SEND rights, SEN Support duties or EHCP processes.
Important limitation: Experts at Hand funding is not intended to replace support already written into an EHCP, fund provision schools should already make, or carry out EHCP needs assessments.
- Local areas are expected to begin introducing elements of Experts at Hand from September 2026, with phased expansion over several years.
- DfE guidance says children should not need a diagnosis to access support through Experts at Hand; support should be based on need.
Parents often hear about SEND reform proposals but find it difficult to understand what the changes could mean in practice.
One of the newer developments is Experts at Hand. The programme is intended to give mainstream schools access to specialist advice and support from education and health professionals, helping children receive support earlier and reducing delays in accessing expertise.
While the programme is still developing, it provides an important indication of the government’s direction for SEND support in mainstream settings.
Local authorities and Integrated Care Boards are developing their own Experts at Hand arrangements, so eligibility, referral routes, available professionals and the support offered may vary between areas during phased implementation.
If you are looking for current SEND support, you can also browse our SEND & EHCP support guide or search for SEND & EHCP support services.
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What is the Experts at Hand service?
Experts at Hand is a new SEND reform service being introduced to help mainstream education settings access specialist advice and support earlier.
The aim is to bring education and health professionals closer to nurseries, schools, colleges and post-16 settings, so that children and young people can receive support before difficulties escalate or families feel forced to wait for more formal routes.
Support may involve professionals such as:
- educational psychologists
- speech and language therapists
- occupational therapists
- specialist teachers
- SEND advisers
- local authority and health professionals
For parents, the key point is that Experts at Hand is designed to support earlier identification of needs and improve help within mainstream settings. Children should not need a diagnosis to access support through the offer; support should be based on identified need.
Experts at Hand is not a replacement for SEND Support, EHCPs or existing legal routes. If a child needs statutory assessment, an EHCP, or provision already written into an EHCP, the existing SEND and EHCP processes still matter.
The exact model may vary between local areas as implementation develops.
Why Is Experts at Hand Being Introduced?
The Department for Education has identified several long-standing challenges within the SEND system, including:
- delays accessing specialist advice
- inconsistent support between local areas
- increasing pressure on EHCP processes
- growing demand for specialist provision
- concerns that support is often provided too late
Experts at Hand is intended to support earlier intervention by making specialist expertise more accessible within mainstream education settings.
The wider aim is to help schools respond to needs sooner and reduce the need for support to escalate before action is taken.
How Could Experts at Hand Support Schools?
Although local delivery models may differ, guidance suggests support could include:
- advice from specialist teachers
- educational psychology input
- speech and language expertise
- occupational therapy advice
- SEND workforce development
- support planning and review
- early identification of needs
- practical recommendations for classroom support
Rather than replacing existing school responsibilities, Experts at Hand is intended to strengthen the support already available within mainstream settings.
In year 1, the DfE expects much of the support to be delivered alongside mainstream staff and focused on approaches that can benefit groups of children or whole classrooms. This may include observation, modelling, coaching, staff advice and support to adapt teaching or the learning environment.
Who Might Be Involved?
Depending on local arrangements, support could involve professionals such as:
- Educational Psychologists
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Specialist SEND Teachers
- Specialist Support Staff
- Health Professionals
- SEND Advisers
- Inclusion Specialists
The professionals available may vary between local authorities and local delivery partnerships.
How Is Experts at Hand Different From an EHCP?
Many parents are concerned that SEND reform proposals could replace EHCPs.
At the time of writing, Experts at Hand is not intended to replace an EHCP.
| Experts at Hand | EHCP |
|---|---|
| Non-statutory specialist advice and support | Statutory legal plan |
| Usually accessed through the education setting or local offer | Issued by the local authority |
| May support groups, classrooms or individual pupils depending on local design | Sets out provision for an individual child or young person |
| Supports earlier intervention and mainstream inclusion | Provides legally enforceable special educational provision where specified |
| Does not create the same legal duties as an EHCP | Creates statutory duties around specified provision |
Parents should continue to follow existing EHCP processes where appropriate.
Important limitation: Experts at Hand funding is not intended to replace support already written into an EHCP, fund provision schools should already make, or carry out EHCP needs assessments.
What Has Been Confirmed So Far?
Current published information indicates:
- funding has been allocated to local authorities
- implementation activity is expected from September 2026
- local areas will work with health and education partners
- support is intended to strengthen mainstream inclusion
- Experts at Hand should not replace statutory EHCP provision
- Experts at Hand has begun phased local delivery from September 2026.
- Local access arrangements may vary between areas, including whether parents can access advice directly or support is arranged through schools and settings.
These developments provide more detail than some other proposed reform elements, although significant implementation work is still ongoing.
September 2026 update
Checked: 6 September 2026. Experts at Hand has reached its expected launch month. Local areas are beginning to introduce their first versions of the service, but the offer will not look identical everywhere.
Some areas may offer direct parent or carer advice, while others may initially focus on specialists working with schools, colleges and early-years settings. Access routes, professionals involved and the type of support available may vary between local authorities.
Children should not need a diagnosis to benefit from Experts at Hand support. However, parents should check their school, setting or local authority Local Offer to understand whether the service has started locally and how support can be accessed.
Important: Experts at Hand does not replace current SEN Support duties, EHC needs assessments, EHCP provision, annual reviews or appeal rights.
August 2026 update
Experts at Hand is moving further into local implementation during 2026–27.
Department for Education guidance asks local authorities and integrated care boards to continue developing and delivering their local Experts at Hand offer as part of wider SEND reform planning.
In the first year, support is expected to focus mainly on groups, classrooms and mainstream-setting practice, helping staff support more children earlier rather than operating primarily as an individual referral service.
Local models may include access to professionals such as educational psychologists, specialist teachers, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists, but the exact offer will vary between areas.
Experts at Hand remains additional to existing statutory SEND provision. It should not replace SEN Support, the right to request an EHC needs assessment, or provision specified in an EHCP.
June 2026 update
DfE updated its Experts at Hand and Local Authority SEND Transformation Fund guidance on 5 June 2026. The update added final local authority allocations, grant conditions and updated funding information for 2026 to 2027.
Local areas are expected to begin introducing elements of Experts at Hand from September 2026, with phased expansion over several years.
Checked: July 2026. No further Experts at Hand guidance has replaced the Department for Education’s 5 June 2026 year 1 guidance. Wider SEND reform activity has continued, including government responses, local reform planning and mainstream inclusion funding updates, but current SEND law, SEND Support duties and EHCP rights remain unchanged.
What Has Not Been Confirmed Yet?
Some important details are still developing, including:
- exactly how support will operate in every area
- how access routes will work for families
- whether support models will be identical nationally
- how the programme will interact with future reform proposals
- the long-term relationship between Experts at Hand and other planned reforms
As implementation continues, further guidance is expected.
Key Point
Experts at Hand is designed to help mainstream schools access specialist SEND expertise earlier. It does not replace current SEND rights, SEN Support duties or EHCP processes, which remain in place while wider reform proposals continue to develop.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Experts at Hand Service
What is the Experts at Hand service?
Experts at Hand is a programme being introduced as part of wider SEND reform plans. The Experts at Hand service is intended to help mainstream schools access specialist education and health expertise earlier, allowing children and young people with SEND to receive support closer to where they learn.
Is Experts at Hand a SEND service?
Experts at Hand is a new SEND reform offer rather than a replacement for existing SEND law. It is intended to bring specialist advice and support into mainstream education settings earlier, while SEND Support and EHCP processes remain in place.
Do children need a diagnosis to access Experts at Hand?
No. DfE guidance says children and young people should not need a diagnosis to access support through Experts at Hand. Support should be based on identified need, although the exact route may vary between local areas.
Can Experts at Hand replace support in an EHCP?
No. Experts at Hand is intended to provide earlier specialist advice and strengthen mainstream support. It should not replace provision specified in an EHCP. If support is written into an EHCP, the legal duty to arrange that provision remains with the local authority.
When will Experts at Hand start?
The Department for Education has indicated that local areas are expected to begin introducing elements of Experts at Hand from September 2026, with wider implementation taking place over several years.
Who can access Experts at Hand support?
The Experts at Hand service is intended to support children and young people with SEND within mainstream education settings. Access arrangements may vary between local authority areas as implementation develops.
Which professionals could be involved?
Support may involve professionals such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, specialist teachers, SEND advisers and other education or health specialists. The professionals available will depend on local arrangements.
Will every school have access to Experts at Hand?
The long-term aim is to improve access to specialist expertise across mainstream education settings. However, implementation is expected to vary between areas during the rollout period, and local delivery arrangements may differ.
How is Experts at Hand different from SEN Support?
SEN Support is the current system used by schools to provide additional help for pupils with special educational needs. Experts at Hand is intended to strengthen that support by providing schools with easier access to specialist expertise and advice.
Does Experts at Hand change current SEND law?
No. Current SEND law, the SEND Code of Practice, SEN Support duties and EHCP processes remain in place. Experts at Hand forms part of wider reform plans and does not currently change existing legal rights.
What should parents do if they think their child needs additional support?
Parents should continue to speak with their child’s school, SENCO or relevant professionals using existing SEND processes. If concerns remain, schools should be able to explain what support is being provided, what evidence is being gathered and whether additional specialist advice may be appropriate.
Is Experts at Hand available in every local area?
Experts at Hand is being introduced locally from September 2026. Every local area is expected to develop an offer, but availability, access routes and the professionals involved may vary. Parents should check their school, nursery, college, post-16 setting or local authority Local Offer for local details.
Can parents contact Experts at Hand directly?
This depends on the local model. Some areas may offer direct advice for parents and carers, while others may provide support through schools, early-years settings, colleges or post-16 providers. Parents can ask their setting or local authority how Experts at Hand can be accessed locally.
Will Experts at Hand be the same in every local authority?
No. DfE guidance says local areas will develop their Experts at Hand offer based on local needs and existing services. The aim is earlier access to specialist advice and support, but the practical model may differ between areas.
Find Related Support
Experts at Hand may involve different professionals depending on local arrangements. If your child needs individual assessment, advice or support beyond general school-based help, these FSUK support areas may be relevant.
- Find educational psychology services — for assessment, advice and recommendations about learning, development and school support.
- Find speech and language therapy support — for communication, speech, language or social communication needs.
- Find occupational therapy support — for sensory, motor, daily-living, access or participation needs.
- Find EHCP support and advocacy — for help understanding EHCP requests, reviews, disputes or appeals.
These links do not mean a private provider is always needed. Families should continue using school, local authority, NHS and statutory routes where appropriate.
Browse SEND & EHCP Support Services
Related Support Guides
- SEND Reform Tracker — Follow the latest developments in SEND reform, implementation updates and government announcements.
- Current SEND Law vs Proposed Reform — Understand what remains current law and what forms part of proposed reform plans.
- Individual Support Plans Explained — Learn about proposed Individual Support Plans and how they may fit within future SEND support arrangements.
- What Schools Must Do Before an EHCP Request — Understand the support, reviews and evidence schools should usually consider before EHCP escalation.
- How Will SEND Reforms Affect EHCPs? — Understand what proposed SEND reforms may mean for EHCPs, existing rights and future support arrangements.
- SEND & EHCP Support in the UK — Explore SEND services, advocacy support and specialist providers.
- SEND Rights and Appeals Explained — Understand current SEND rights, appeals and legal routes while wider reform proposals continue to develop.