Campaign urges for SEND rights to be protected

In advance of the Government publishing its plans to reform the SEND system, a new campaign has been launched urging for the legal rights for children with SEND to be protected.

The campaign, Fight for Ordinary, argues that children and young people with special educational needs want the same, ordinary things, that other children take for granted.

The government is being urged by The Disabled Children's Partnership - the leaders of the campaign, to work to them and allow them to be involved in big decisions.

The campaign warns that the government must not dilute existing rights and protections or restrict EHCPs for those who continue to need them.

They say that to make a reality of its vision the government must strengthen support for children who do not have plans and ensure sufficient funding and accountability for all parts of the system.

This means legally guaranteed support for children with and without EHCPs (putting the current SEN support arrangements on a statutory footing.

They want nurseries, schools and colleges are set up to succeed for children with SEND, with the training, tools and access to specialist advice and support.

They also want every local area has a plan for how they will provide a good education, with the right mix of mainstream and specialist placements and sufficient therapists and educational psychologists.

They also want progress and experiences of these children to be measured so that no one is left behind, and enough money in the system and the right incentives to ensure it works.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “Too many children are being let down by the current system. Significant numbers of parents face long waits for plans, a postcode lottery in support depending on how much funding their local authority offers schools, and a lack of availability of specialist staff

“However, families and schools will need to be confident that support for their children is easily accessible before the existing incentive to seek an Education Health and Care Plan diminishes.

“Really significant additional investment is needed in core school budgets, specialist staff, and wider health and social care services to enable schools to provide earlier support, with or without a statutory plan, which can be sustained and scaled up if needed.”