The message from parents and carers who I’ve spoken to at my surgeries, coffee mornings and roundtables has been clear: despite the efforts of school leaders, staff and local authorities under challenging circumstances and over recent years, too many children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are still being let down and denied the opportunity to reach their full potential. Yet precisely because a strong education transforms lives, every child has the right to a fulfilling school experience, with the right support at the right time.
As a proud SEND parent, and someone who has been actively engaged with SEND education in Southampton for many years, I welcome these ambitious and desperately-needed proposals for reforming SEND education. The White Paper calls time on the ‘lose-lose’ system where getting the right support has become a battle, and they represent a significant step forward towards creating a system that works better for every child with additional needs.
The emphasis on inclusion is absolutely right and is being backed up with real investment and resources for mainstream schools. Most parents I speak to know that if we identify needs and provide support early enough, children’s outcomes improve. Evidence shows that SEND children who are educated in inclusive mainstream schools are twice as likely to find employment and live independent lives. To that end, I’m really encouraged that mainstream schools will be able to draw on the resources needed, with more access to experts such as SEND teachers and speech and language therapists. Taken together with the commitments we’ve already made to improve SEND training for all teachers, this will transform the lives and opportunities for children with SEND.
But while inclusion is often the right approach for many young people with SEND, these reforms rightly recognise that some children’s needs will always require specialist provision beyond a mainstream setting.
It’s important to remember that the White Paper is a consultation, and this is the time to raise issues that remain so that we can manage these crucial changes carefully and effectively.
Finally, while today is a step in the right direction, I know that any change can be unsettling for many parents and carers of children with SEND. The publication of this White Paper does not in and of itself change existing SEND law, and the hard-fought legal rights that parents and carers rely on remain in place. This White Paper is a proposal for future change; it is the start of a process, not the end of one, and as such I encourage everyone to answer the government’s questions and share their experiences in the consultation. I will be listening – and the government will be listening – to your feedback to ensure that any changes work for every child with additional needs. And I’ll continue to ask questions about funding, training, accountability, and most importantly, how children will be better off when a new, inclusive system comes into effect.
I’ll be in touch again soon with details of local events where you can share your feedback directly with me, so that we can successfully create a reformed system that truly puts our children and young people first.