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November 2025
A teenager who once felt anxious about leaving her specialist school is now thriving at Exeter College; an outcome her mother says “couldn’t have gone better,” thanks to early guidance and partnership working between Devon County Council’s Post-16 Learning Participation Team, school staff, and the college.
 Families enjoyed an action-packed day at Calvert Trust.
Short Breaks offers activities and experiences for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families, helping build confidence and create opportunities to have fun together.
At the end of October, two autumn family fun days at Dartmoor Activity Centre and Calvert Trust welcomed over 450 attendees. Families enjoyed zip wire, bushcraft, archery, and more. Designed with input from Champions for Change, the sessions fostered a relaxed, inclusive atmosphere. Families told us:
“Our children tried new things and surprised us with what they achieved.”...“The day was absolutely brilliant and totally inclusive to all that took part."
📅 Coming up:
Cal, one of Children and Family Health Devon’s (CFHD) young advisors, has been finding out more about what CFHD’s people do and what they enjoy about their roles.
Young advisors are young people who help shape services by sharing their views and experiences. These interviews give you a closer look at the professionals supporting children and families, including:
Connecting Moments is a new digital peer support group for parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This is a safe, welcoming space to:
- Connect with other families
- Share experiences and ideas
- Build supportive relationships
Topics include:
- School attendance and building positive relationships
- Taking my child out in the community and avoiding isolation
Join the first session on 12 December 2025 at 10am online via Microsoft Teams. Future sessions will be shaped by your ideas and feedback.
Lumi Nova is a fun, intergalactic adventure game that helps children and young people build confidence and develop lifelong skills to manage fears and worries. Families in Devon can access Lumi Nova, free of charge, thanks to a partnership with Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD).
What makes Lumi Nova special?
- Designed for children aged 7 to 12 years
- Supports mild to moderate fears and worries
- Uses Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques
- Safe, secure, and recommended by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
To reflect every child's unique needs, suitability and accessibility guides are available to show how Lumi Nova can support children and young people with SEND.
Find out more: Visit the website, watch the introduction video or contact the team by email.
This initiative makes Devon the the first two-tier authority in the country to implement auto-enrolment for pupils whose family income entitles them to free school meals.
It’s meant that more than 1,000 pupils in Devon who were entitled to free school meals but not previously receiving them, are now getting free meals at school.
Young Devon has launched MyWay, a new mental health service giving young people more choice and better access to support. Backed by NHS Devon funding, MyWay will help thousands of children and young people build resilience and thrive.
The service offers:
- One-to-one counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and wellbeing conversations (online or in community spaces)
- Immediate digital support via Kooth, the UK’s leading online mental health platform
- Youth-led mental health spaces (launching later this year)
Created with input from young people, MyWay combines digital innovation with a strong community presence. It’s designed for 11 to 17 year-olds, but is open to 8 to 25 year-olds, including those with SEND or care experience.
DiAS is an information, advice and support service for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), aged up to 25, and their parents or carers.
Change is a part of life, but for children and young people with SEND, it can be especially challenging.
Whether starting a new school year, moving to a different classroom, or navigating big life transitions like going to college, these changes can bring uncertainty and stress.
Their latest guidance covers:
- Recognising when your child is struggling with change
- Preparing for transitions at home and in school
- Working with staff from nurseries, schools and colleges
- Managing big events like Christmas, sports day, school trips and more
Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor James Buczkowski, has criticised the Government for failing to confront the growing crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in this week’s budget announcement.
Mark Vickers, MBE, and CEO of Olive Academies has been commissioned as Devon’s first Independent Strategic Advisor for Inclusion.
Council Leader, Councillor Julian Brazil, says the appointment is a pivotal moment that will accelerate improvement, ensure equity across Devon’s education system, and that will focus on driving the highest standards for all.
Mr Vickers brings a wealth of experience and national recognition to the role. In addition to being the CEO of Olive Academies, Mr Vickers advises Ofsted on inclusion, and is a member of the Department for Education’s Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion.
Family Hubs are local centres offering help, advice, and information for families. They bring together services for children and young people, including support for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
If you’d like to keep up to date with their news and resources, take a look at the latest Family Hub newsletter.
This newsletter is here to share updates that matter to you and highlight support available across Devon.
If you’ve found it useful, please share it with others in your network so more families can benefit.
Do you have ideas, questions or examples of best practice to share?
We’d love to hear from you. Email us with your feedback, thoughts and help us showcase great practice across Devon.
Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) are inviting parents and carers to a free online Q&A session exploring the Balanced System® Link Therapist Model.
This approach links a Speech and Language Therapist to each school or setting, working closely with school teams to identify needs and make sure every child gets the right support at the right time.
Join the session to:
- Learn how the Balanced System® Link Therapist Model works
- Ask questions and find out how CFHD Speech and Language Therapists will support your child’s speech, language and communication needs in school
 Charly Rhodes, organiser
Parents, carers and young people with special educational needs were at Devon County Council's County Hall, Exeter, earlier this month to express their concerns about the education system.
The group brought with them young people’s shoes that they placed on the steps outside the building. Each pair represented a child failed by the system and was labelled with a description of its young owner’s personal experience in education or of the education system.
Devon County Council Cabinet Member, Councillor Denise Bickley, welcomed and spoke to the parents and carers.
A new initiative called Connect to Work is launching to help almost 6,000 people into sustainable employment over the next five years.
This programme is designed to support disabled people, those with health conditions, and individuals facing complex barriers into paid work. Participants will receive one-to-one support from a specialist employment adviser to access training, health support, and job opportunities that match their skills and aspirations.
The scheme is voluntary and aims to make employment more accessible and inclusive across the region.
The number of complaints made to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman rose last year (2024/25) to 165 compared to 151 the previous year.
However, during that period pay outs to resolve complaints fell by a quarter with more complaints being resolved earlier and by mediation, and improvements are currently being made to the way complaints are handled.
The report shows that education and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services continue to be the main reasons for complaints.
The National Children’s Bureau has published its Belonging Matters report, exploring why a sense of belonging is vital for children and young people —especially those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The report shares findings from an 18-month programme and offers practical steps for schools and communities to help every child feel included and valued.
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