Schools Policy Risks Failing Disabled Children

10/07/2006

The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is calling for a five point plan to be adopted by the government as a matter of urgency to deal with an inflexible and under-demanding education system that delivers low opportunities and holds low expectations for many disabled and Special Educational Needs (SEN) children.

The DRC has brought forward these recommendations after the publication of the Commons Education and Skills Committee report into Special Educational Needs.

The Committee report rightly criticised many of the mechanisms that are supposed to deliver support for children with SEN. However, a crucial opportunity was missed to move the debate on from whether disabled children should be included in mainstream education.

The DRC believes that many more disabled children are getting a better education, but good education policy that could really make a difference (Every Child Matters, Breaking Down the Barriers) lacks the priority and drive to see it through. Too often the education system does not embed good practice, greater expectations, encouragement or reward for disabled pupils or pupils with SEN.

The DRC would like to see the following five point plan to be established:

• A strong message from the top level of Government saying that high standards means supporting all children to achieve their potential.


• Incentivise schools to ensure that they are not only meeting the basic needs of disabled children and children with SEN, but reward progression.


• Directors of Children Services to ensure that it becomes a reality for all services including health, social care and education deliver high quality support for disabled children.


• The current Discrimination Law Review must consider education and disability to resolve problems with the current legislation.


• Ensure that parents of disabled children can make informed choices around schools publishing transparent information on their effectiveness.

Liz Sayce, Director of Policy and Communications at the DRC, said: "Training our teachers to deliver a good education for children with SEN is an imperative. One in five children is identified as having an SEN, so it is hardly a minority issue. We need to galvanise the education system and find the political will to move the agenda on from whether disabled children should be in mainstream schools to focusing on how we develop an education system where these children can flourish and grow."

REHACARE.de; Source: Disability Rights Commission

- More information on the DRC at: www.drc-gb.org

( Source: REHACARE.de )