DEVON County Council has begun the phased implementation of a new Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) funding framework designed to make decisions on special educational needs funding clearer, fairer and more consistent.

The framework, which has now received formal approval through the county’s SEND governance processes, has been developed through extensive collaboration with schools, parents, carers and council colleagues.

Its aim is to improve the way top-up funding is allocated to mainstream schools by linking financial support more closely to a child or young person’s overall profile of need, rather than relying solely on existing funding arrangements.

The new approach will initially apply to children and young people undergoing new Education, Health and Care needs assessments where the decision to assess was made on or after May 1, 2026.

It will also apply to pupils moving into a new phase of education in September 2027 whose EHCPs are reviewed as part of the phase transfer process.

Council officials have stressed that there will be no immediate changes for children and young people who already have an EHCP and receive top-up funding.

Schools supporting these pupils will continue to receive their current funding levels while the framework is introduced gradually.

The framework is expected to begin influencing funding decisions from mid-to-late June 2026 as plans progress through the statutory assessment process.

As the roll-out continues, Devon County Council says it will work closely with schools, families and partner organisations to build understanding of the new system, gather feedback and ensure the changes are implemented in a measured and supported way.

Funding values linked to the framework for the 2026/27 financial year are due to be shared with schools later this month following discussions through established school finance channels.

The council is also developing a new SENCO Funding Referral Group, bringing Special Educational Needs Coordinator expertise into key aspects of the implementation process.

Further details about the EHCP Funding Framework are available through Devon’s SEND Local Offer.