Steps are being taken to ensure children with communication and mental health needs are able to access appropriate education close to home.

A six-week consultation process has been agreed in order to progress the roll out of educational places at three Dorset schools.

Dorset County Council has already set up 'resourced provision bases' for children with 'complex communication needs' (CCN) at Thomas Hardye and Damers schools in Dorchester with further places planned for these children and children with 'social emotional mental health needs' (SEMH).

The council now plan to provide 24 SEMH places at Dorchester Learning Centre, 10 CCN places at Parley First School and 10 places at West Moors Middle School.

A further 24 SEMH places and further CCN places will also be provided at locations yet to be confirmed.

DCC’s Cabinet meeting on Wednesday backed a statutory six-week consultation over the proposed change and the extra funding.

The consultation will take place in May and June and it is hoped the new places will be available from September 2018.

Cabinet members were told in a report by Gary Binstead, senior manager for sufficiency, commissioning and school organisation that the council needs to provide more spaces "to ensure more children can continue to be closer to their family, home and community."

Cllr Deborah Croney cabinet member for economy, education and skills said: "You will recall we made a decision on April 4 to commit funding for the extra provision of of special educational needs and complex communication. We are now reflecting on that."

The cabinet is being asked to approve capital spending of £2.7million for the extra places – some of it for work already underway.

The report said although the cost is high it would allow children to stay closer to home and, in the long-term, could realise savings from placing children outside of Dorset.

Mr Binstead's report said if all 50 children currently placed out of the county, received local provision in the future, this would avoid future travel costs of £390,000.

Overall the county has identified the need for around 270 places across Dorset for children with Special Educational Needs and Disability.

The results of the consultation will be brought before the cabinet in July.