£2.5 million available to help identify children with special educational needs earlier

Organisations across the UK are being invited to apply for a share of £2.5 million to develop innovative solutions that improve the early identification of children with special educational needs (SEN).

The latest Contracts for Innovation (CfI) competition aims to support technologies, tools and approaches that enable earlier, fairer and more reliable identification of SEN, particularly in areas where current methods are not working effectively.

The competition opened on 23 June 2026 and applications must be submitted by 11am on 5 August 2026. Successful projects are expected to begin from 1 October 2026.

Early identification of additional needs can play a significant role in ensuring children receive appropriate support sooner, helping improve educational outcomes and reducing delays in accessing services.

Applicants will be asked to provide:

• Project details
• Responses to application questions
• Financial information
• Details of the project’s anticipated impact

Applications will be assessed by an independent panel, with successful organisations receiving contracts for the first phase of the programme. Some projects may then be invited to present their work at a later interview stage.

The funding forms part of the UK government’s wider innovation programme, supporting organisations developing practical solutions to improve public services through research and technology.

More information

Applications close: 5 August 2026 at 11:00am.