Consultation opens on plans to improve specialist education in Cardiff

A public consultation has opened on plans to significantly expand specialist education provision for children and young people with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) in Cardiff.

Cardiff Council is inviting residents, parents, carers and education stakeholders to share their views on proposals aimed at addressing rising demand for specialist support across the city. The consultation will run until Thursday 26 March.

The proposals were agreed in principle by senior councillors in December 2025 and form the first phase of a wider programme linked to Cardiff’s Inclusion Strategy.

They are intended to respond to growing pressure on specialist education services and to ensure learners with ALN receive appropriate support.

If approved, the plans would deliver an additional 462 specialist education places across the city. This includes 276 places in special schools and 186 places in Specialist Resource Bases (SRBs) attached to mainstream schools.

The expansion would be achieved through a mix of refurbishments to existing facilities and new-build developments.

Council officers say demand for specialist placements has risen sharply in recent years, driven by a number of factors. These include improved survival rates for children with complex disabilities, increased identification and diagnosis of additional learning needs, and a growing number of young people experiencing emotional health and wellbeing challenges.

The consultation is designed to give families and communities the opportunity to learn more about the proposals and influence future decisions.

Information will be shared through online materials, engagement events and written submissions, with feedback actively encouraged from children and young people, parents, school communities and partner organisations.

Because of the scale of the proposals, the consultation has been structured into three themed stages.

These focus on provision for learners with autism and social communication needs, those with complex learning needs, and those requiring support for emotional health and wellbeing.

The council says the overarching aim is to ensure children and young people receive the right support at the right time, as close to home as possible.

Placements

Expanding provision within Cardiff is also intended to reduce reliance on out-of-county placements, which can be disruptive for families and costly for the local authority.

Cabinet Member for Education and Deputy Leader of the council Sarah Merry said the proposals were rooted in a commitment to inclusive education. “Our priority is to ensure that the majority of learners with ALN can have their needs met in local mainstream schools wherever possible,” she said.

“When specialist provision is required, our ambition is for learners to remain within Cardiff, supporting community cohesion and reducing the need for placements far from home.”

The consultation can be accessed here.