Devon County Council has approved a major investment programme to strengthen support for children and young people in schools across the county.
The additional £20.5 million funding will support a significant expansion of provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), helping more young people access high-quality education closer to home. This boosts the total investment committed to increasing local provision to £39 million.
The programme will see new investment in mainstream schools, specialist provision and post-16 settings, creating additional places and improving support for pupils with a range of needs. It includes the development of inclusion bases within mainstream schools, expansion of specialist provision, and improvements to existing school facilities.
The council’s approach reflects a clear ambition to support more children in their local school wherever possible, with the right support in place at an earlier stage. This will help reduce reliance on out-of-area placements and ensure that more families can access services within their communities.
Councillor Denise Bickley, Cabinet Member for SEND, said:
“Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive in education. This investment will help ensure more children can receive the support they need in their local school, closer to family and community networks.
“It’s a significant step forward in building more inclusive, sustainable education communities across Devon.”
Julian Wooster, Director of Children’s and Young People’s Futures, said:
“This is part of a wider multi-year programme to increase school capacity, strengthen inclusive practice, and improve long-term outcomes for children and young people so they can fulfil their potential.”
Alongside new places, the programme will support workforce development and closer partnership working with schools and colleges, ensuring consistent, high-quality support across Devon.
Implementation will take place over the coming years, with new provision coming online in phases as projects are completed.