RDA welcomes the Government’s consultation on proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.
As an organisation working directly with families, schools, and communities, we see the growing demand for SEND provision every day.
Across RDA:
• We support 39,000 disabled people each year, 70% of whom are children and young people, often with multiple and complex needs
• Nearly 4,000 people are on RDA waiting lists
• 71% of our groups report that demand exceeds capacity
Families are actively seeking practical, accessible support to help children engage in education and everyday life – yet trusted providers like RDA cannot currently meet demand alone.
Michael Bishop, Chief Executive, RDA UK: “RDA groups are rooted in their communities, and every day we see the difference activity-based learning makes – helping children build confidence, independence, and focus that translates into school and family life. The unique combination of horses and a supportive, inclusive community unlocks progress that children cannot experience elsewhere. Demand for our activities already exceeds capacity, and without sustained support too many children will miss out.”
Community provision already supports educational engagement:
RDA works closely with schools to ensure children can access SEND support that complements education and therapy. Nearly 450 RDA groups and centres across the UK (341 in England) deliver activities, with 69% providing direct services to schools.
Our sessions are safe, structured, and inclusive, giving children of all abilities the opportunity to gain new skills and experience success. Participation in riding, carriage driving, and equine-assisted activities helps children build confidence, independence, and resilience, often in ways not possible in traditional settings. These activities also provide meaningful opportunities to develop core educational skills, including literacy and numeracy, creating transferable benefits that carry into classroom learning.
Community-based provision demonstrates that SEND support does not only happen in classroom or clinical settings – it happens in trusted local environments where children can engage, succeed, and thrive.
Community provision already supports a wide range of needs:
RDA recognises the Government’s intention to introduce clearer categories of need within SEND provision, and our experience shows how important it will be that these reflect real-world complexity.
Our participants include children with physical, sensory, and learning disabilities, and neurodiversity. Almost two-thirds (65%) have more than one condition, and we have observed increasing numbers of children who are autistic or have ADHD. This demonstrates that needs rarely fit neatly into a single category. RDA designs every session to respond to this diversity, ensuring that each child can participate, learn, and grow in a safe and supportive environment.
The impact is proven – and uniquely effective:
RDA’s impact reporting shows measurable educational, developmental, and emotional outcomes:
• Emotional regulation: 71% of children feel calmer and more settled, including at school
• Confidence & independence: improved resilience, patience, and self-esteem reported by parents and teachers
• Communication & social interaction: improved engagement with peers and adults
• Readiness for learning: children return to school more focused and motivated
“The confidence the children build at RDA translates to school – they are different children,”
Headteacher whose pupils attend RDA
Parents, carers, and educators consistently report that RDA’s combination of non-judgemental horses and a supportive community helps children feel safe, seen, and motivated, achieving growth that cannot be replicated elsewhere. This demonstrates that RDA’s high-quality, community-based SEND provision delivers meaningful, measurable impact at scale.
Our call to action:
RDA welcomes the SEND reform consultation and urges Government to explicitly recognise specialist community-based provision as a core partner in delivery, ensuring it is included in the consultation and in future policy decisions.
By supporting organisations like RDA – who are already embedded in local communities and working in partnership with schools – more children can access proven, effective SEND support, helping them thrive in education and in life.
