A report due to be considered by Cabinet on July 14 recommends allocating £18.889 million of government High Needs Capital Funding to expand local specialist provision between 2026 and 2030.
The investment aims to help more children access the support they need closer to home, while reducing pressure on the SEND system and improving outcomes for families across Suffolk.
This new provision would be fairly spread across west, north and south Suffolk.
Over recent years, Suffolk County Council has already delivered significant growth in SEND provision, creating around 170 places in mainstream specialist settings and a further 289 places through special school expansions and satellite provision.
However, demand continues to rise. The number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has increased by 17% in the past year, from 10,292 in April 2025 to 12,018 in April 2026.
The proposed investment would provide:
- 168 new specialist places in secondary schools through specialist bases linked to mainstream schools
- 80 additional places through satellite provision connected to existing special schools
- £2 million to support inclusion in mainstream schools
- £2 million for adaptations and improvements to mainstream schools
- £1 million to develop specialist post-16 provision across Suffolk
The council plans to make use of existing school buildings where possible, helping new provision to be delivered more quickly and cost-effectively than building new schools.
The programme will focus on areas where demand is highest, particularly for children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and Communication and Interaction needs, including autism.
Cllr Tony Gould, Suffolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Education, said:
“We were elected on a promise to focus on the issues that matter most to Suffolk families, and supporting children and young people with SEND is one of those priorities.
“This £18.9 million investment will help create hundreds of new specialist places, reduce the need for long journeys and give more families access to support closer to home.
“Every child deserves the chance to thrive in the right educational setting, close to their family and community. This investment is about making that happen for more children and young people across Suffolk.
“We are determined to build a SEND system that is more inclusive, more responsive and more sustainable for the future.”
The report highlights that increasing local provision will help reduce the need for children to travel long distances to access education, improve placement stability, and reduce reliance on expensive independent and out-of-county placements.
The council says the investment will also help create a more financially sustainable SEND system while ensuring children and young people receive the right support in the right place.
If approved by Cabinet, the programme will be delivered in phases between 2026 and 2030, with early projects focusing on expanding existing provision and improving accessibility within mainstream schools.
