The number of children in Sefton needing Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision across Sefton has rocketed by 300% in just seven years – with numbers forecast to grow even further.
Sefton Council is due to outline its plans to meet the growing demand between 2026 and 2029, which includes expanding existing schools and creating additional places.
Next week, councillors will meet at Southport Town Hall to investigate the existing specialist provision, future capacity requirements and the increasing number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and complex needs.
They will also determine Sefton Council’s planned response to address anticipated demand pressures, support the delivery of its statutory duties and ensure that sufficient provision is available to meet future need.
The report says: “Sefton continues to experience significant growth in the number of children and young people requiring SEND support and specialist educational provision.
“The number of EHCPs has increased from 1,492 in 2018/19 to more than 4,475 by July 2026, with annual growth averaging approximately 17% across the period.
“Alongside the growth in EHCPs, the profile of need has changed considerably. The most significant increases have been seen in:
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs; and
• Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN).
“These categories now represent the fastest-growing areas of need across the borough.
“Current projections indicate that EHCP growth will continue across the planning period. “Forecasts suggest that EHCP numbers could increase to between 5,137 and 5,702 by 2026/27, with further increases expected thereafter.”
To address increasing demand, Sefton Council has developed a programme of capital investment and service expansion to increase local specialist capacity between 2026 and 2029.
Secondary ASD Provision
Planned developments that are proposed include:
• Expansion of Rowan High School ASD provision 108 places
• Creation of additional secondary ASD SEND Unit places 50 places
• Further ASD capacity through school expansion projects;
• Expansion of Presfield School, increasing specialist autism provision across primary secondary and post-16 phases. 150 places
Secondary SEMH Provision
Planned developments include:
• Creation of 120 secondaries places through Newfield developments;
• Development of 12 SEMH places at Waterside Alternative Academy;
• Additional SEMH provision through redevelopment of Council-owned sites.
Severe Learning Difficulty and PMLD – Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty.
• Expansion of Merefield Southport site by 16 places (January 2027)
• Creation of 70 places through Merefield developments primary secondary and post-16 phases.
Mainstream Inclusion Capacity
The programme also includes:
• Expansion of inclusion bases; • SEND workforce development; • Locality support hubs; • Early intervention services; • Therapeutic support; and • Locality-based provision development.
The Sefton report said: “The SEND Sufficiency Plan concludes that demand for SEND support is increasing independently of overall pupil population growth.
“Whilst primary pupil numbers are reducing, the largest cohorts are now concentrated within secondary schools, and the complexity of need continues to increase. This is creating sustained pressure across mainstream schools, specialist provision and alternative provision
“Analysis undertaken through the SEND Sufficiency Review demonstrates that current in house secondary provision is insufficient to fully meet demand.
“A total of 548 children and young people with EHCP are currently educated outside Sefton. These placements place significant pressure on the High Needs Budget due to the combined cost of specialist provision and home-to-school transport.
“Individual placements can cost between £80,000 and £150,000 per annum, with some specialist placements exceeding these levels where enhanced staffing and specialist support are required. Transport costs can also be substantial where provision is located outside the borough. The continued reliance on external placements highlights the need to expand local specialist provision wherever possible, enabling more children and young people to be educated closer to home and reducing long-term financial pressures.
“Forecast modelling demonstrates that ASD remains the single largest driver of future specialist place demand, alongside significant growth in SEMH provision. Collectively, ASD, SEMH and SLCN account for approximately 78% of projected secondary specialist place requirements.”
In conclusion they said: “Demand for secondary SEND provision continues to grow significantly and current provision is insufficient to fully meet existing and future need.
“ASD, SEMH and SLCN remain the principal drivers of demand, accounting for almost four-fifths of projected specialist secondary place requirements.
“The Council has developed a comprehensive programme of specialist place expansion alongside a strong focus on inclusion, early intervention and workforce development through initiatives such as the Experts at Hand model.
“Whilst the programme has the potential to significantly improve local SEND sufficiency, delivery risks remain, particularly in relation to available sufficient capital funding, capital delivery timescales, workforce availability and continuing increases in demand.
“The Council will therefore continue to maximise capital opportunities, utilise High Needs funding effectively and pursue Invest to Save initiatives that improve outcomes for children and young people while supporting longer-term financial sustainability.”
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