Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) may need support from many different professionals to enable them to achieve their full potential. Social care services have an essential role to play – whether by keeping children safe from harm, finding the best possible care when children cannot live at home, or creating the conditions that enable them to thrive and achieve, including through short breaks and respite care.

Innovation Programme Projects are testing more holistic approaches to supporting 0-25 year-olds with SEND, by focusing on education, health and social care, housing and community participation. They are developing, implementing and testing new ways to provide targeted support to children and young people with SEND, minimising the need for long-term residential provision or admission to specialist hospitals and treatment units, particularly following crisis points.