EOTAS Is Changing: What Families Need to Know About the New EOTAS Consultation

Summary

Understanding the government’s proposals and what they mean for children who learn best outside school.

If your child is currently educated outside of school, or you’re exploring EOTAS because school simply isn’t working, you’ve probably already felt how complicated, confusing and inconsistent the system can be.

The government has now launched a major consultation on Education Otherwise Than at School (EOTAS), alongside reforms to alternative provision and SEND education. These changes are planned for 2029/30, and they could reshape how thousands of children receive their education.

What is EOTAS?

EOTAS is when a Local Authority arranges a child’s special educational provision somewhere other than a school, usually because school is not appropriate or safe for them. It must be written into an EHCP and can include:

• Home‑based learning
• Community‑based learning
• Specialist tutoring
• Therapies and multi‑disciplinary support

The consultation itself admits something families have been saying for years:

“EOTAS is often used because no suitable school place is available.”

(SEND Reform: Education Otherwise Than at School, 2026)

That’s not a small statement. It’s an acknowledgement that EOTAS is often the result of system failure, not parental preference.

If you’re new to EOTAS or want a deeper understanding, you can learn all about EOTAS Packages here.

Why is the government reviewing EOTAS now?

The number of children on EOTAS has risen 90% in four years, it’s now up to around 16,000 children. That’s not because families suddenly “want” EOTAS. It’s because:

• School placements are breaking down
• Needs aren’t being met
• Children are out of education for months
• Transport is being refused
• Anxiety, trauma and medical needs are rising
• Suitable schools simply don’t exist in many areas

The consultation describes the current situation like this:

“Children and young people on EOTAS often experience delays in receiving suitable education, periods without provision, and a lack of clarity about who is responsible for their support.”

Families know this all too well.

Many have spent months chasing provision, waiting for decisions, or trying to convince professionals that their child cannot attend school, not because they won’t, but because they genuinely can’t.

The government calls this a “system failure”.

Parents would agree, but many also worry that the proposed reforms may be driven by cost pressures, not child-centred design.

Key Proposals from the EOTAS Consultation 

When you read the consultation, it’s clear the government is trying to reshape how EOTAS fits into the wider SEND system. But as always, the real meaning sits in the details and in how these proposals land for families whose children simply cannot attend school.

Below is a breakdown of the key proposals, with quotes from the consultation to help you understand what’s actually being said, not just what’s implied. 

1. EOTAS will only be available through the new Specialist Provision Package (SPP)

From 2029/30, children will need to be assessed as requiring an SPP + EHCP to access EOTAS.

The consultation states:

“EOTAS should be reserved for children with the most complex needs, where education in a school is not possible even with additional support.”

On paper, this sounds logical.

In real life, it raises difficult questions:

• What about children whose anxiety makes school impossible, but who don’t meet “complex needs” criteria?
• What about children whose medical needs fluctuate?
• What about children who could attend school if the right school existed but it doesn’t?
• What about children who have already tried school repeatedly and been traumatised?

Families fear this could introduce tighter gatekeeping, not better support.

2. Existing EOTAS arrangements will be protected

If your child already receives EOTAS:

• Secondary & post‑16: their arrangements continue until they leave education
• Primary: reviewed at the end of primary

The consultation explains:

“We want to provide stability for children already receiving EOTAS, while ensuring their needs are reviewed at appropriate transition points.”

This sounds reassuring, but families who’ve fought hard for EOTAS know that “review” can sometimes mean “reduce” or “remove”. The intention may be stability, but the lived experience of SEND reviews often feels very different.

3. A new system for children who can’t attend school but don’t qualify for SPP (Section 19)

This is one of the most significant parts of the consultation and one of the most concerning for families.

Children who cannot attend school but don’t meet the new SPP criteria will fall under Section 19, which legally requires LAs to provide suitable education when attendance isn’t possible.

The consultation acknowledges the current failures:

“Children unable to attend school due to health needs often experience delays in receiving suitable provision, and responsibilities between schools and local authorities are not always clear.”

Parents know this painfully well. Children are being left without education for months, transport being refused even when medically required, and families being blamed for non‑attendance.

The government’s proposed fix is:

• A time‑limited AP package
• A new Individual Support Plan (ISP)
• Regular reviews
• A reintegration or transition plan

But families rightly ask:

Will this actually solve the problem, or simply add another layer of paperwork to a system already failing children?

4. Health‑related AP: faster decisions, clearer roles, and a strong push for reintegration

For children whose health needs cannot be met in school, the government wants:

• Faster decision‑making
• Better continuity of education
• Stronger reintegration planning

The consultation says:

“Reintegration should be planned from the outset, with clear steps to support the child’s return to school when appropriate.”

This is where lived experience and policy often collide.

For many families, reintegration has not been a “step-by-step plan” ; it has been a repeated cycle of hope, harm, and heartbreak. Some children simply cannot return to school, no matter how carefully reintegration is planned.

5. Oversight of online education providers

The consultation also looks at how schools and local authorities use online learning, something that has grown rapidly in recent years, especially for children who cannot attend school for medical, sensory, or emotional reasons.

The government is clear that online learning shouldn’t be a quick fix or a cheap alternative. They write:

“Where online provision is used, it must come from an accredited provider and form part of a coherent, high‑quality package of education.”

This matters because many families have seen online learning used as a stopgap, a few hours of virtual lessons offered instead of a meaningful, personalised plan. The consultation suggests a desire for stronger oversight, but it also raises questions:

• Will accredited online learning be used thoughtfully, as part of a wider EOTAS or AP package?
• Or will it become a way to offer minimal provision when nothing else is available?
• How will “high‑quality” be defined, and who will check it?
• Will children who need in‑person support still get it, or will online learning be used to reduce costs?

For some children, online learning is a lifeline.

For others, it’s isolating, inaccessible, or simply not enough.

The consultation acknowledges this, but we want to see how accreditation and oversight translate into real‑world practice.

Your Voice Matters and We’re Here to Help

The EOTAS consultation is asking families, professionals, and young people to share their experiences, and if your child has ever struggled to attend school, your perspective is essential. The proposals being discussed will shape how EOTAS, Section 19 provision, and health‑related AP work for years to come. They will influence who gets support, how quickly, and in what form.

If EOTAS affects your family, your voice matters.

You can respond to the consultation until September 18th 2026

SEND Reform: Education Otherwise Than at School

And you don’t have to navigate any of this alone.

At SEND Tutoring, we support families through every stage of the EOTAS journey whether you’re:

• Exploring EOTAS for the first time
• Navigating Section 19 provision
• Managing or updating an EHCP
• Building a personalised education plan that actually works for your child
• Seeking specialist tutors who understand autism, ADHD, PDA, SEMH, dyslexia and more

We design and deliver high‑quality EOTAS packages and offer guidance to help families understand their rights, options, and next steps.

Our goal is simple:

Your child’s learning should never be left behind, no matter where it takes place.

If you’d like help understanding how these changes might affect your child, you can book a free chat with us:

Book a FREE Consultation

This consultation is an opportunity to make sure children and young people with SEND are seen, understood, and protected.

It’s a chance to tell the government what we already know:

Education must meet the child where they are, not where the system wishes they could be.

Whatever happens next, one thing remains true:

Your child deserves an education that honours who they are, how they learn, and what they need to feel safe.

We’ll continue to monitor changes, translate policy into accessible language, and create parent-centred guides like this one so you always feel informed, supported, and in the loop.

We have a real chance to shape what comes next. So use your voice, share your story, and let’s fight for a better future for every child who learns outside the box.

Support for Every Learner
Discover how SEND Tutoring supports students with a wide range of needs, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, PDA, SEMH, epilepsy, and more. 

Resources and Insights 

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Ella Jones

If you’re looking for support for a child or young person with special educational needs or a disability, book a free call with us today and find out how we can help.