Behaviour Management & SEND Developments in UK Education & Care
Monthly Roundup by Behaviour Smart

Welcome to The Behaviour Smart Roundup your monthly source for the most important updates shaping the UK’s education and care sectors. At Behaviour Smart, we’re committed to empowering schools and care providers through our AI-powered behaviour management system, designed to streamline incident recording and enhance safeguarding outcomes.

Each edition brings together the latest policy developments, research, and technology innovations helping senior leaders, SENCOs, and staff manage behaviour more effectively and make data-driven decisions that truly support young people.

Top Education News

1. Government launches review into SEND provision

The Department for Education (DfE) has initiated a comprehensive review of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision to tackle persistent challenges around funding, staffing, and access to early support. The review, expected to report its findings in early 2026, aims to ensure children with SEND receive consistent, high-quality support regardless of postcode.

Educational leaders are being invited to share evidence on how reforms can improve collaboration between mainstream schools and local authorities. Read the official announcement via the Department of Education.

Why this matters: Schools should monitor the consultation’s outcomes closely, as funding and accountability changes could affect Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and inclusion policies.

2. Staff wellbeing moves to the heart of school improvement

Teacher burnout and attrition remain high-priority issues. New DfE guidance places staff wellbeing as a central pillar in school improvement planning, encouraging leaders to embed wellbeing audits and workload reviews as part of inspection readiness.

According to Schools Week, Ofsted’s updated framework now expects schools to demonstrate tangible actions that protect staff mental health, including flexible timetables, mentorship schemes, and workload tracking systems.

In practice: Schools using data-driven platforms such as Behaviour Smart can identify trends in behaviour incidents linked to workload spikes, helping leaders intervene early.

3. AI in education: Opportunities and challenges

Artificial Intelligence continues to reshape classrooms across the UK, from automating report writing to analysing behavioural trends and improving personalised learning. However, experts emphasise that the rapid rise of AI tools in education must be accompanied by strong ethical frameworks and transparent governance.

A Times Education Supplement (TES) analysis, outlines a four-point plan for transparent AI use in schools, urging leaders to publish clear transparency statements, ensure explainability of AI outputs, and maintain accountability for all AI-assisted decisions. Similarly, a TES news report highlights growing calls for the Department for Education (DfE) to disclose how AI is being used in curriculum review processes reinforcing that transparency and accountability must evolve alongside innovation.

For school leaders and administrators adopting AI-powered behaviour or reporting systems, these insights serve as a reminder: automation should enhance, not obscure, professional judgment. Ethical and transparent use of AI helps safeguard trust, ensures compliance, and aligns with best practice guidance from the DfE and leading educational bodies.

Top Care Sector News

• Children’s homes face new Ofsted regulatory framework

Ofsted has introduced a refreshed inspection framework for children’s homes, placing greater emphasis on measurable outcomes for young people and staff wellbeing. Providers are urged to align policies with the new focus on reflective supervision and continuous training.

Full details are available via the Ofsted news page.

Impact: Homes that adopt evidence-based recording and analysis tools, such as Behaviour Smart, will find it easier to demonstrate compliance and deliver person-centred care.

• Shortage of residential care placements for vulnerable children

Recent reports, including a new National Audit Office (NAO) investigation, confirm that local authorities are increasingly competing for limited residential care placements often paying higher rates or accepting weaker matches. The NAO’s Managing Children’s Residential Care report (2025) highlights that many children are placed far from home, and many residential provision gaps exist.

• Funding boost for mental health provision

In 2025, the UK Government pledged new funding to expand access to mental health services for looked-after and care-experienced children, aiming to reduce wait times and embed early intervention in education and social care settings.

Emerging Trends and Technology in the UK Care Sector

• Innovation in Data-Driven Care

Digital transformation continues to gain momentum across the UK’s care ecosystem. From children’s homes to adult social care, providers are increasingly turning to integrated digital platforms to improve case management, safeguard compliance, and measure impact.

The Department of Health and Social Care’s latest Digital Social Care update highlights that over 60% of providers now use electronic care records (ECRs), a significant rise since 2023. This shift is improving continuity of care, reducing duplication, and helping managers evidence positive outcomes more efficiently during inspections.

Platforms such as Behaviour Smart play a critical role in this digital evolution by connecting behavioural insights with care planning. For example, tracking incident trends in real time allows teams to anticipate support needs, tailor interventions, and demonstrate progress toward individual outcomes, all while meeting regulatory expectations for evidence-based reporting.

• Workforce Development and Retention

Staff retention continues to challenge the sector. Skills for Care’s 2025 report revealed a vacancy rate above 8%, driven by recruitment competition and burnout. In response, many providers are investing in continuous professional development (CPD) and trauma-informed care training to strengthen staff confidence and wellbeing.

Organisations are also experimenting with AI-assisted reflective tools that help supervisors provide more meaningful feedback and identify early indicators of staff stress or compassion fatigue. Embedding technology in supervision not only supports wellbeing but also aligns with Ofsted’s renewed emphasis on reflective practice and workforce development.

• Cross-Sector Collaboration and Early Intervention

A positive trend emerging in 2025 is stronger collaboration between education, social care, and health services. Pilot initiatives across several local authorities are testing integrated data-sharing protocols to improve early identification of risk and ensure consistent support for children with complex behavioural needs.

This “whole-system” approach echoes the Every Child Matters principles, ensuring that education, care, and mental health professionals are no longer operating in silos. Behaviour Smart’s analytics tools are being used in some of these collaborations to bridge data gaps and strengthen multi-agency coordination.

• The Future of Regulation

Looking ahead, regulators are signalling a move toward outcome-based frameworks rather than checklist compliance. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ofsted have both indicated that providers demonstrating strong data integrity, clear evidence of learning, and proactive safeguarding will be better positioned under the evolving inspection models.

For leaders, the message is clear: data literacy, digital capability, and ethical technology use will become core competencies in the next phase of UK care reform.

Featured Blog: Behaviour Support Plan as a Dynamic Process

A Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) becomes powerful not when written and filed, but when it evolves. In our blog Why the Behaviour Support Plan Process Matters More than the Document we explore how inclusive, responsive, and data-driven practices ensure a BSP remains relevant.

What it does

• Reviews incident statements, internal reports, and communications

• Detects emotionally charged or subjective phrasing

• Suggests alternative neutral, factual language

• Provides live feedback as staff type

Why it matters

• Guards against bias and misinterpretation

• Strengthens legal defensibility and safeguarding

• Encourages consistent, transparent language across teams

• Supports reflective professional development

By helping users eliminate emotionally loaded wording, this tool drives better clarity and equity in record-keeping.

Further Reading & Resources

For those interested in exploring the latest developments in education, care, and behaviour management, the following verified sources and resources provide trusted insights and guidance:

• National Audit Office (NAO): Managing Children’s Residential Care (2025)
  A detailed analysis of the growing pressure on residential placements, funding constraints, and the need for better data-driven planning to improve outcomes for vulnerable young people.

• Ofsted: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspection-of-childrens-homes-framework
  Updated guidance highlighting leadership accountability, wellbeing, and measurable outcomes as key indicators of quality care.

• Department for Education (DfE): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-action-to-tackle-illegal-and-exploitative-childrens-homes
  Details new government measures to strengthen oversight and improve the quality and safety of children’s home provision.

• Times Educational Supplement (TES): https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/general/ai-education-opportunities-risks-schools-teachers
  An in-depth look at how artificial intelligence is reshaping teaching and school administration, with insights on transparency, training, and data ethics.

• Schools Week: https://schoolsweek.co.uk/teacher-wellbeing-at-the-heart-of-school-improvement/
  Analysis of how schools are embedding staff wellbeing into improvement plans and inspection readiness strategies.

• Behaviour Smart Blog: https://www.behavioursmart.co.uk/post/behaviour-support-plan-process
  A practical guide on developing person-centred, AI-assisted behaviour support plans that enhance collaboration and consistency across teams.