{"id":11242,"date":"2026-06-12T13:51:36","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T12:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gpsj.co.uk\/?p=11242"},"modified":"2026-06-12T13:55:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T12:55:28","slug":"why-collaboration-not-funding-alone-will-determine-the-success-of-experts-at-hand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gpsj.co.uk\/?p=11242","title":{"rendered":"Why collaboration, not funding alone, will determine the success of ‘Experts at Hand’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Emma Sanderson<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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Emma Sanderson<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As educators, school leaders, SEND professionals and families, we need to understand what these reforms will mean for already overstretched budgets, pressure on EHCP thresholds, and how the system will ensure schools are equipped to meet these ambitions.  When the Government announced its plans for \u201cExperts at Hand\u201d, it was a welcome step, but with some uncertainty on how it would be delivered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know that local authorities are already facing significant pressures, including rising levels of need, demand for stretched specialist services, and budget cuts. With many simply asking, \u2018So where do we start?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many staff in the sector are overworked and have too much on their plates, so assuming that we will have to take on even more can leave us thinking about how we can best adapt to these changes. But looking at \u201cExperts at Hand\u201d with a different view, it could be really transformative and just what the sector needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine if we finally addressed one of the biggest challenges in the SEND system today, waiting for that specialist help to arrive.  All too often, schools find themselves on a reactive support cycle where support often arrives months later when needs have increased and become more complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I speak to school leaders, they tell me that they don\u2019t want more bureaucracy; they want to help all children at the point of need. This is where \u201cExperts at Hand\u201d could be a real transformational, as it gives us the opportunity to ditch the crisis support model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many children and families with SEND, support isn\u2019t happening early enough. Intervention at the earliest point isn\u2019t just better for children and families. It\u2019s also better for schools and local authorities when specialist advice from mental health professionals is given quickly and easily, as they can work with children and families before needs escalate, leading to more sustainable support in the long-term for children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Experts at Hand\u2019 shouldn\u2019t be about sticking another service at the end of an already overstretched list and if there is one group of people who will be key to making this work, it\u2019s our local authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If implemented well, \u201cExperts at Hand\u201d should allow schools the flexibility to access specialist help when they need and we are already seeing lots of local authorities beginning to think creatively about what this might look like.  Some schools are accessing multi-disciplinary outreach teams who can offer consultation and support at the earliest point of need and others are looking to create inclusion hubs shared with multiple schools.  For others, it could be that they are looking at rolling out specialist support teams across a number of schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The one thing all these examples share is collaboration. No single service can solve SEND on its own, but with education, health and care services working together end to end, we have a chance to support schools before crisis point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Used effectively, \u201cExperts at Hand\u201d can improve workforce confidence and capability across the SEND system and I believe that\u2019s one of the best things about these reforms is the ability to share specialist expertise across the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With school staff already overwhelmed by the daily pressures they face in the classroom, immediate access to specialist support could be a game-changer. Not just for children and families, but for staff mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With immediate support accessible for schools without a child needing to reach crisis point, they can intervene sooner. And the earlier we can intervene, the more likely we can achieve positive outcomes for children and young people. But, \u201cExperts at Hand\u201d will only succeed if everyone owns a piece of the pie for support and accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It could be that this means having difficult conversations about capacity and budget so that we can work with schools to understand their needs from the outset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the questions on most people\u2019s lips is \u2018Where do we start?\u2019 and as with any big reform, it can be difficult to know.  But there are some simple steps that could help local authorities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n