White Papers and educational reform – February 2026 has taken us into a new era.
So here we are in February and we finally have an answer to the question that’s been looming on the horizon since September last year – ‘when is this White Paper going to show anyway?’ I’m certain that it has been quite the whirlwind since it’s release, with everybody giving their opinion and weighing in with a ‘quick summary’ or ‘what’s included’.
Here in the AMHIE headquarters the talk has mostly been around the merging of mental health and SEND in a lot of the discussions. We want to be quite clear here mental health should not be treated as synonymous with SEND.
Although they can overlap, mental health is a universal human experience that will affect every pupil and member of staff at some point.
We stand on the side that schools should very much adopt a whole-school, preventative approach to mental health — embedding resilience, coping strategies and emotional wellbeing into their culture — rather than limiting support to those who meet SEND thresholds.
Coming up in March:
- Mental Health Conference North: Delivered in Newcastle 2nd March – book here
- Advanced Mental Health Lead Training: 9th March 2026, 20th May 2026 & 16th June 2026 – Book the Live Online Course
- Our next podcast episode – register your interest in participating with Lily on lily.blakeledge@rootofit.com
- Mental Health: Are you ticking the right boxes?: We now have 4 dates for regional conferences starting with North in March 2026, visit https://amhie.com/mental-health-conferences/ to book your place.
- AMHIE Membership: Our membership offer covers everything your team need to promote DfE and Ofsted compliance for mental health visit for more info: https://amhie.com/membership-to-amhie/
- AMHIE Training: Members get a 30% discount on all training bookings using their exclusive code, join us to get your code. https://amhie.com/training/
Introducing Mental Health First Responder training from AMHIE and Mental Health Courses
This intensive two-day training programme is designed to equip individuals with the confidence, knowledge and practical skills needed to recognise and respond to signs of mental distress.
AMHIE members can get money off their course bookings with their discount code and redeem conference ticket purchases against cost price.
Available dates:
- Daytime – 5-6 May
- Evening 11/18 May 1/8 June
- Daytime 8-9 June
Alerts and Releases February 2026
- DfE Policy update: Every child achieving and thriving
- Government ends runaway independent special school fees: Children’s progress put first as government ends runaway independent special school fees
- More support for children through foster care: what you need to know
- Free breakfast club roll out: everything you need to know
Our Blog February 2026
- Children’s Mental Health Week 2026: Belonging explore our brand new evidence based toolkit focusing on practical steps to inclusion and belonging at your setting.
February 2026 has been a landmark month for the UK education sector, defined by the release of the most significant policy overhaul in years: the Schools White Paper, “Every Child Achieving and Thriving.” For the Association of Mental Health in Education (AMHIE), this month has been equally pivotal. As you have been “moving things around” and launching your new training offers, the national landscape has shifted toward a model that places inclusion and early intervention at the very heart of the school system.
1. The Schools White Paper: A New Vision for SEND
Published on 23 February 2026, the “Every Child Achieving and Thriving” paper represents a ten-year vision for England’s schools. The central pillar is a radical reform of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, moving away from a “battle” for support toward a tiered, inclusive mainstream model.
Key Policy Shifts:
- The Three-Tier Support Model: 1. Universal: High-quality adaptive teaching and calm environments for all. 2. Targeted / Targeted Plus: Small group support and access to “Experts at Hand” (educational psychologists and speech therapists). 3. Specialist: EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans) reserved for the most complex needs.
- Individual Support Plans (ISPs): Every child with additional needs will now have a digital ISP to record day-to-day support, aiming to reduce the administrative burden of traditional EHCPs.
- Inclusive Mainstream Fund: A £1.6 billion investment over three years to help schools build “inclusion bases”—dedicated spaces for students who need extra support but remain within mainstream education.
2. Mental Health and Wellbeing in Focus
The White Paper explicitly links academic achievement to mental wellbeing and belonging. This creates a direct mandate for the work AMHIE does, as the government seeks to shift school culture from “withdrawn” to “engaging.”
National Discussions & Inquiries:
- Joint Parliamentary Inquiry: The Education and Health and Social Care committees launched a joint inquiry this month into children’s mental health. They are investigating the “long-overdue” link between support systems and the rising rates of school refusal and anxiety-related absence.
- Wait-Time Reductions: There has been a renewed push to integrate Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) more deeply with specialist CAMHS to tackle the backlog of neurodiversity and mental health assessments.
3. Higher Education & The Workforce
- Tuition Fees & Funding: The government confirmed that university tuition fees will rise in line with inflation (RPIx) starting in Autumn 2026, reaching £9,790.
- Teacher Recruitment: Alongside the White Paper, the “6,500 Additional Teachers Delivery Plan” was laid in Parliament, aiming to tackle the chronic retention crisis by improving maternity pay and workload through AI-assisted benchmarking.
- Industrial Action: Despite legislative changes in the Employment Rights Act 2025 that simplified balloting, February saw continued strikes from the National Education Union (NEU) in specific FE colleges over pay and “safeguarding risks” related to staffing levels.
4. AMHIE: Leading the Charge into March
It is clear why February has been so busy for the Association. The White Paper’s emphasis on “National Inclusion Standards” and the £200 million universal SEND training budget creates a massive opportunity for your new training offers.
The Newcastle Show & Training
As you prepare for the Newcastle Show, the sector is looking for practical ways to implement these new “Inclusion Strategies.” Your focus on Mental Health First Responders and the 8 Pillars of Mental Health Strategy aligns perfectly with the new requirement for schools to “proactively plan” their support rather than reacting to crises.
Note for AMHIE Members: The government’s 12-week consultation on these SEND reforms is now open until 18 May 2026. This is a crucial window for the Association to influence how “Individual Support Plans” will account for fluctuating mental health needs.
