Give Children with EHCPs, CSPs and IEPs the Legal Right to Flexi-Schooling
Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) often expend significantly more emotional, sensory and cognitive energy than their peers simply to engage in education. Many spend their day managing anxiety, sensory challenges, social demands and emotional regulation, leaving them exhausted and in need of time to recover and recharge.

Despite this, children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), Coordinated Support Plans (CSPs) and Individual Development Plans (IEPs) do not have a legal right to access flexi-schooling in the UK. Decisions are often left to local authorities and individual schools, meaning families can be denied a flexible educational arrangement even when it is supported by evidence and is clearly in the child's best interests.

As a parent of a child with additional needs, we chose a flexi-schooling approach so that our child could access an educational experience better suited to their needs. While this required significant personal and financial sacrifice, including giving up my career, it has enabled our child to engage in learning in a way that supports both education and wellbeing.

The results have been overwhelmingly positive. Our child is happier, healthier and more engaged in learning. Anxiety has reduced, trust in education has been restored, and family life has improved. Instead of spending time recovering from educational stress, our child can enjoy learning and develop at a pace that works for them.

Many families report similar benefits from flexi-schooling, which combines school-based learning with home education. This approach provides structure, flexibility and essential recovery time, enabling children to engage in education in a way that is sustainable, enjoyable and suited to their individual needs.

Flexi-schooling should not be a privilege available only to families who can afford it. Children with additional needs deserve access to educational provision that supports both learning and wellbeing, regardless of their family's financial circumstances.

We call on the Government to:

• Give children with EHCPs, CSPs and IEPs a legal right to access flexi-schooling where it is appropriate to their needs.

• Allow flexi-schooling to be named.

• Recognise recovery and regulation time as legitimate educational needs for children who experience emotional exhaustion, sensory overload, anxiety and masking.

• Ensure parents are equal partners in decisions about their child's education.

• Prevent local authorities from refusing flexible provision solely because it differs from traditional full-time schooling.

Every child deserves an education that they can access, manage, enjoy and benefit from. By supporting flexi-schooling for children with additional needs, we can create a more inclusive education system that allows children to engage, thrive and reach their full potential

What could flexi-schooling look like?
Flexi-schooling does not require schools to create entirely new forms of education. Many mainstream schools already offer Forest School, outdoor learning, nurture provision and other specialist support.

Children with EHCPs, CSPs or IEPs could attend school for the parts of education that best meet their needs, such as Forest School, therapies, practical learning and social activities, while receiving the rest of their education through a Community Teacher in their home or local community.

Community Teachers could be employed or commissioned by schools, academy trusts or local authorities and would remain part of the school's staff team, delivering the curriculum and outcomes set out in the child's EHCP, CSP or IEP.

This would keep children connected to their school, reduce pressure on families and ensure schools remain responsible for delivering a suitable education—while giving children the flexibility they need to learn, recover and thrive.