A major gathering of education leaders and national experts has brought renewed focus to strengthening inclusion and improving support for children and young people across Devon.
The Building Belonging: Devon Inclusion Conference 2026 convened school and trust leaders, practitioners, local services and national partners to shape shared approaches to inclusive practice and reaffirm a collective ambition that every child deserves a high-quality education that enables them to thrive.
Delivered by Olive Academies Trust, the conference focused on developing a shared understanding of what inclusion should look like across the Devon education system. Drawing on their national experience in inclusive practice, Olive Academies provided insight to guide meaningful discussions about what effective, consistent support for children and young people looks like in practice.
Devon County Council has commissioned Olive Academies Trust to support ongoing work to strengthen inclusion across the county. Mark Vickers MBE, who leads the trust, has also been appointed as Devon’s first Independent Strategic Advisor for Inclusion, bringing national expertise and an external perspective to support this work.
In opening remarks, Councillor Julian Brazil, Leader of Devon County Council, recognised the commitment of Devon’s education workforce and the importance of working together across the system. Donna Manson, Chief Executive of Devon County Council, emphasised that every young person’s journey is unique and highlighted the need to listen closely to children and young people.
Keynote speeches were delivered by Dr Tim Coulson CBE, Director General for the Department for Education’s Regions Group, and Mark Vickers MBE. They underlined the importance of earlier, more coordinated support, strong collaboration between services, and enabling more children to learn within their local communities.
Mark Vickers MBE said:
“Today has been about creating a shared understanding of what inclusion should look like across Devon’s education system. The county’s commitment to working collaboratively – across schools, services and local partners – is clear, and provides the foundation for building a culture where every child feels they belong and can succeed.”
Councillor Denise Bickley, Cabinet Member for SEND, said:
“It’s inspiring to be at Devon’s first inclusion conference and to see everyone coming together behind a shared inclusion agenda. Our job is to look after every child in Devon and help them to achieve the best outcome they possibly can – and we can only do that by working together to design a system that supports and nurtures our young people, and that works for Devon’s schools.”
Closing the event, Councillor Julian Brazil said:
“There was a real sense of excitement in the room that we are moving forward together. Being with education leaders from across Devon, all committed to making the difference our children deserve, has been uplifting. We all want the very best for our children, and we will achieve it more effectively by working together.”
