The head of a specialist college near Alton has been appointed to a national government panel helping to shape the future of support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Ben Bastin, Head of College at Treloar's in Holybourne, has joined a Department for Education expert panel tasked with developing National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision packages as part of wider SEND reform.

Mr Bastin, who also chairs Natspec, the association for specialist colleges, said he was looking forward to bringing his experience to bear on the reforms.

"I am excited to join the panel at such a pivotal time for SEND reform," he said. "I look forward to bringing both my personal and professional experience of specialist provision and the transition to adulthood to ensure these changes support children and young people in a more inclusive 0 to 25 system."

The panel brings together leading figures from mainstream and specialist education, health, academia and parental engagement. It is co-chaired by Tom Rees, chief executive of Ormiston Academies Trust, and Dr Anne Gordon, head of clinical innovation research at NHS England.

The appointment was announced by the Department for Education alongside a new Experts at Hand initiative, which aims to place speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, specialist teachers and educational psychologists within mainstream schools, early years settings and colleges.

The scheme is designed to help children and young people access specialist support without needing a formal diagnosis, with every local area set to begin expanding access to the new teams.

Treloar's, which supports young people with physical disabilities and complex needs, has long been regarded as one of the leading specialist providers in the country.