Across the UK, rising poverty, pressure on public services, and growing unmet need are colliding in our education system. Nowhere is this felt more acutely than for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), particularly those with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.

Recent analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation [1] highlights how poverty continues to shape life chances in the UK – affecting children’s health, wellbeing and educational outcomes long before adulthood. For children with additional needs, these challenges are often compounded, leaving families navigating an overstretched system with limited specialist provision.

Against this backdrop, Belong Learning – one of our Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) South West investees, provides a powerful example of how the right support, at the right time, can transform young lives.

Meeting a growing and urgent need

Formed in 2013, Belong Learning is a social enterprise providing specialist education for children and young people who struggle to thrive in mainstream settings. Operating two independent schools in Gloucestershire and Devon, it supports pupils with SEMH needs, including children with autism and ADHD.

Demand for this type of provision is rising rapidly. As of June 2025, more than 1.7 million pupils in England have special educational needs [2], with those holding Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) significantly more likely to experience persistent absence or exclusion [3]. For many young people, exclusion is not an isolated event but part of a wider picture of poverty, family stress and poor mental health.

Students arriving at Belong Learning have often experienced repeated disruption, rejection or exclusion, leaving them anxious, isolated and disengaged from education. Without specialist intervention, these experiences can have lasting consequences for wellbeing, qualifications and future independence - reinforcing the inequalities highlighted in national poverty research.

Belonging before learning

Belong Learning’s approach is rooted in relational practice, placing strong, consistent relationships at the centre of education. Students are supported to feel safe, accepted and understood before learning begins, with behaviour seen as communication rather than something to punish.

When challenges arise, the focus is on repair and restoration - rebuilding trust, strengthening relationships and helping young people move forward.

This philosophy shapes every aspect of Belong Learning’s work. Students receive personalised learning in small groups or one-to-one, alongside support to build confidence, emotional resilience and life skills. Close relationships with families ensure support is consistent, sustainable and focused on long-term outcomes, including progression into further education, training, employment and independent living.

Investment enabling impact

Belong Learning’s growth has been supported by two investments from the South West SITR fund: £250,000 in 2019 and a £180,000 follow‑on investment in 2021.

The first investment provided vital working capital to strengthen governance, recruit staff and open two independent schools for children excluded from mainstream education. This marked a significant step in building the infrastructure needed to meet rising demand across the South West.

The second investment enabled Belong Learning to secure new premises and working capital, including relocating its Gloucester school to a more suitable site. This expanded capacity, ensured a safer learning environment, especially during COVID‑19, and supported the organisation to continue delivering high‑quality, personalised provision.

Creating pathways to independence

Over the past decade, Belong Learning has transformed the educational experiences of hundreds of young people:

• More than 300 students educated in the last three years
• Over 150 students progressing into employment, further education or training since 2022
• Schools in Devon and Gloucestershire rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted and approved under Section 41 – two of only 400 schools nationally

The impact the school has on young people’s lives is best captured by those who experience it firsthand:

“I was really anxious and depressed before I came to Belong… but that has stopped completely now. I fit in here. I feel I was meant to be here.”
Student

“We can now imagine a level of independence for our son which would have been totally unimaginable only one year ago.”
Parent

Why this matters beyond education

As the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s analysis of UK poverty shows, educational exclusion does not exist in isolation. It is closely connected to income insecurity, poor health, unstable housing and long-term economic disadvantage.

Belong Learning demonstrates how targeted, relational and well-financed specialist provision can help break these cycles - supporting not only educational attainment, but confidence, wellbeing and future independence. In a system under strain, social investment has a critical role to play in ensuring children with additional needs are not left behind.

As social enterprises like Belong Learning continue to strengthen communities and improve life chances, unlocking the capital they need to grow is essential. One way this is happening is through social impact investment funds such as Resonance’s new Enterprise Investment (REI) Fund.

Building on the success of our SITR funds and Health & Wellbeing Challenge (South West) Fund, REI enables capital to flow directly into high-impact social enterprises working within their communities to create positive change across three key impact areas: tackling socio-economic inequality, improving health and wellbeing, and supporting the transition to a lower-carbon economy.

The UK’s social enterprise sector is a fast-growing part of the economy, delivering essential services, creating inclusive employment and building resilience where it is needed most. With mission-aligned finance from initiatives like REI, organisations like Belong Learning are better positioned to tackle systemic challenges and build a more equitable future.

Belong Learning’s story is a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when investment is used for good with a focus on enabling positive social outcomes.

[1] https://www.jrf.org.uk/uk-poverty-2026-the-essential-guide-to-understanding-poverty-in-the-uk

[2] https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england/2024-25

[3] https://www.health.org.uk/evidence-hub/education/inequalities-in-persistent-school-absences#:~:text=educational%20needs%20are%20more%20likely%20to%20be%20persistently%20absent%20from%20school&text=Pupils%20with%20education%2C%20health%20and%20care%20plans%20have%20the%20highest%20absence