The SEND Workforce programme supports London to recruit, retain and develop a skilled and sustainable workforce across education, health and care. As demand for SEND services continues to grow, workforce capacity, leadership development and professional learning are increasingly important in ensuring children, young people and families receive high-quality support.
The programme brings together a range of activity designed to strengthen the SEND workforce across the capital. Key areas of work include the London SEND Leadership Programme, which supports current and emerging leaders across the system; the London Educational Psychology (EP) Pledge, which aims to strengthen recruitment and retention within the educational psychology profession; and the Big SEND Conversation, a large-scale research and engagement programme designed to capture the experiences, challenges and aspirations of the SEND workforce.
Together, these initiatives support workforce development by promoting leadership, improving recruitment and retention, and providing insight into the opportunities and pressures facing the sector.
Building on this work, LIIA is refreshing the London SEND Leadership Programme and developing a renewed London SEND Workforce Recruitment and Retention Strategy. This activity will be informed by findings from the Big SEND Conversation, completed in 2026, which engaged more than 600 colleagues from across education, health and care. The research provides one of the most comprehensive evidence bases on the experiences of London’s SEND workforce and will help shape future workforce planning, development and reform activity across the capital.
Project Goals
This project aims to strengthen leadership and workforce capacity across London’s SEND system. It focuses on developing current and future leaders through the SEND Leadership Programme, improving recruitment and retention through the EP Pledge, and understanding workforce experience through the Big SEND Conversation. By combining workforce intelligence, engagement and shared learning, the programme supports a more stable, confident and sustainable SEND workforce prepared for national reform.
Governance
This programme reports into the ALDCS SEND Steering Group and ALDCS Workforce Steering Group. The programme connects with London’s SEND workforce and professional networks.