COLLEGES in Devon are working with Devon County Council (DCC) to provide more places specifically to support the further education of hundreds of young people with special educational needs and disabilities, (SEND).

At least 350 additional post 16 education places for young people with SEND will be created at Exeter College and PETROC College’s two campuses in Barnstaple and Tiverton, thanks to a multi-million pound bid to the Department for Education (DfE) and DCC.

The plans involve creating new on-campus facilities at the three sites, Exeter, Barnstaple and Tiverton, with dedicated, purpose-built spaces designed to meet the requirements of young people with a range of additional needs.

The courses that the colleges will offer are currently under review and will be confirmed shortly.

The funding from the DfE is essential in providing quality further education, local to families in Devon, that will help young people achieve better educational outcomes, leading to improved employment prospects and independent living.

The colleges are also developing a wide-ranging programme of support for young people with SEND, beginning even before students attend to help make the transitions from school or other educational setting to the colleges as positive as possible.

Councillor Lois Samuel, DCC’s cabinet member with responsibility for services that support children and young people with SEND, said: ‘We and our college partners share an ambition to make further education (FE) in Devon more accessible to greater numbers of young people with SEND.

‘We’re delighted that our joint bid with the colleges for government funding has been successful, and we’re pleased to award further capital from our own budget to enable more young people with SEND to attend their local FE college.’