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July 2025
We’re committed to making real, lasting improvements for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Devon. In this update from the Devon Local Area Partnership SEND Strategic Board, you’ll find highlights of the progress made recently—such as improving EHCP processes, expanding local provision, and strengthening how we communicate with families—as well as a look ahead at what’s coming next.
Refurbishment work has begun this month at Petroc College’s campus in Barnstaple and will begin at the college’s Tiverton campus soon, to create additional post 16 education places for young people with special educational needs and disabilities, (SEND).
Petroc and Exeter College are working with Devon County Council to make more post 16 education places available, across the two colleges, in Barnstaple, Tiverton and Exeter, for young people with SEND.
At least 350 additional places will be created at the colleges, with multi-million-pound funding from the Department for Education and Devon County Council.
The plans involve creating new on-campus facilities at the three sites with dedicated, purpose-built spaces designed to meet the requirements of young people with a range of additional needs.
Alongside the construction work, the colleges are also developing a wide-ranging programme of support for young people with SEND, beginning before students attend to help make the transitions from school or other educational setting to the colleges as positive as possible.
Devon County Council is reviewing how it allocates funding for children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), acknowledging that the current system is no longer fit for purpose.
Families and schools have raised concerns about inconsistency, lack of transparency, and delays in funding decisions.
In response, the council has appointed independent experts, Peopletoo, to lead a comprehensive review of its EHCP banding framework.
The council wants to co-design a fairer, clearer system with parents, carers, and schools, and will be holding engagement events with parents during September.
Devon County Council wants to make sure all children with SEND get the best possible education.
To do this, the council is reviewing how it buys education placements for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) to support children and young people in Independent Special Schools or with alternative packages of support that help children and young people to continue to learn at other locations, not at school, for a period of time, hopefully with the aim of them returning or reintegrating to school.
Earlier this year, they met with parents and carers who shared their experiences. Thank you to all those who took part in the feedback of these services.
The council will soon be contacting all the parents who took part in the engagement events to share what they learned.
The council needs to tender for new contracts with these providers with a view to those contracts being in place early next year. The feedback from parents has meant that the council can make sure that these contracts meet our children and young people’s needs.
We know how important short breaks are for families of children with SEND – offering young people fun, supported activities, and giving parents and carers valuable time to recharge.
That’s why we’ve been working closely with parents and young people to improve the short breaks offer in Devon.
Through Family Fun Days and other events, we’ve heard directly from parents, carers, and young people about what’s working and what could be better.
Your feedback is helping shape future services to better meet your needs – thank you for being part of this important journey.
 Chelsea is one of the young girls who recently attended the family fun day at Haytor. She had a great day, and very kindly starred in her own video called Going Wild on Dartmoor, to record the day. You can see how Chelsea got on in her video on YouTube.
You may have read in previous newsletters about our work with Genuine Partnerships. They are a team from Rotherham who have been helping to gather the views of parent carers, children and young people, and practitioners in Devon about the Four Cornerstones.
We know that all of our services need to work with families to show good examples of: Welcome and Care; Value and Include; Communicate; Work in Partnership.
A report giving recommendations for the next steps is now being finalised and will be available soon.
We will be sharing key points in future newsletters, and the full report will be shared online.
If you would like to work with us in developing the recommendations from the report, please do let us know by emailing: childsc.sendimprovementprogramme-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
The Champions for Change had a meeting at the Stagecoach depot as part of their ongoing project about accessible transport. They discussed what makes them feel safe and confident on their journeys, along with Stagecoach staff and managers from Devon County Council's transport team. They also got a tour of the depot, learnt how to use a ticket machine and took turns on the training bus! Thanks to the young people for all their hard work, and to everyone that made it so much fun for the Champions.
Some of our Champions for Change group met with Paul, who is a children’s commissioning officer to support with the development of the Short Breaks offer. The group talked about the activities they like to do in their free time, what activities they might like to try in the future and the key elements that need to be in place from services to best ensure a positive experience. Young people talked about the importance of support and trust when trying a new activity, and how it was helpful to be with a friend or a trusted adult at first.
In previous editions of this newsletter, we have featured different services that are part of Devon County Council's Early Help offer to children and young people. Today, we're focusing on the Devon Youth Justice Service (DYJS).
The DYJS supports children and young people aged 10 to 18 who have offended or are at risk of offending.
The service provides tailored support including supervision, education, mental health services, and restorative justice.
It focuses on trauma-informed, child-first approaches, aiming to reduce reoffending, promote positive behaviour, and ensure community safety.
It works closely with families, schools, police, health services, and voluntary organisations to address underlying needs and help young people make positive life choices while ensuring victims’ voices are heard.
You can read more about the DYJS on our news page.
Other featured services include the council's LINKS service; and Y-SMART
 Khloe and the team at Petroc College
For many parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities, the journey through education can feel isolating and uncertain. But a unique programme at Petroc College is offering a new path - one built on trust, flexibility, and truly personalised support.
The H2O Programme (Home to Onsite) is designed for young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) who may have been out of education for extended periods due to anxiety, trauma, or other barriers. It begins with gentle, supportive outreach at home and gradually builds toward full participation in college life.
One parent shared how the programme transformed her daughter Khloe’s life.
Once isolated and struggling with severe anxiety, Khloe was supported through creative projects, one-to-one mentoring, and small, manageable steps.
She’s now thriving—having passed key qualifications, completed a work placement, and even become a mentor to others.
“Nothing has ever met her needs—until now,” said Khloe’s mum.
 Credit: Emma Ruminski. BBC Devon
With the kind permission of BBC Devon, we'd like to highlight the their story about the Sapphires, who are believed to be the first fully inclusive cheerleading squad for children with additional needs in Devon and Cornwall.
The Sapphires are based at Southbrook School in Exeter, and practise twice a week in their lunch breaks.
They're supported by the Exeter Emeralds, a 100-strong cheerleading group from the University of Exeter, which competes nationally. They help the Sapphires squad adapt their routines for each child's ability and share their love of the sport.
Imogen, a wheelchair user who is in the squad, said: "This has opened up so much dancing for me."
The group has inspired her to want to be a wheelchair dancer on Strictly Come Dancing when older.
Zoe Barnes, one of the Southbrook Sapphires coaches, said: "As far as I know, we are the only special needs cheerleading squad in all of Devon and Cornwall.
"It's phenomenal what they have achieved. We are so proud of them."
She added: "They've exceeded all our expectations."
Children and Family Health Devon's Mental Health Support Team is running an online transition workshop for all year 6 parents and carers whose children will be moving up to year 7 in September.
It's running on Tuesday 5 August 2025, between 3:45pm and 4:45pm, on Microsoft Teams.
You can find out more and how to join the online workshop by visiting their website.
Devon County Council's vision for Devon is to build vibrant, inclusive learning communities where every student feels valued and understood. The council is asking schools, colleges, and education settings to show that they ‘believe in belonging’ by signing up to a new inclusion and learning strategy.
The strategy gives education settings a set of core principles to embed-in or enhance their inclusive practices, whilst also gaining access to bespoke localised support and training.
We recognise that embracing each child’s unique strengths and challenges is essential for fostering a positive learning environment
 There are lots of summer holidays activities for your child just waiting to be booked!
It’s not too late to book your child for activities this summer on our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.
With our new online booking system, it’s now easier than ever.
Since the new online system was launched in March thousands of parents have booked their child onto at least one of a number of activities, but there are still thousands of places available.
If your child experiences anxiety or frequent worries, there’s a new digital tool that could help. Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage is a fun, space-themed game for children aged 7 to 12 that’s grounded in proven therapeutic techniques. It’s already supporting families across the country by helping children build confidence and resilience in a gentle, engaging way—right from home.
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