Dear Miss Teather, an open letter about the pace of SEN reform
Dear Miss Sarah Teather I know you mean well. I know you really want to do something to help improve the lot of kids with special needs. And you might …
Category: SEND Politics
Who will care for our vulnerable ‘Looked After Children’ in a care-less society?
There was a news report this morning about an investigation by MPs finding “serious weaknesses” in England’s care system that showed children’s homes failed to protect runaways. Children’s Minister Tim Loughton …
SEN – The Next Steps – My views & Meridian Tonight feature
So, there’s been much furore today about the headlines for proposals that 450,000 children be ‘struck off’ the SEN register. This is a bit of a stupid headline, to say …
SEN Green Paper: Ministerial “Detailed response” expected next week
So, next week government ministers will set out their detailed response and reform timetable as their next steps in the SEN Green Paper. They’ve been saying it’s ‘imminent’ since February, so …
Special needs experts offer views for Labour’s SEN policy review
Earlier this week, I attended a meeting at Westminster for Labour’s SEN policy review, chaired by MP, Sharon Hodgson, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Children and Families. Mrs Hodgson is herself the …
Unofficial exclusions – Has it happened to your child?
Some schools in England are illegally excluding pupils, sometimes permanently, without going through the full formal process, a report says. England’s children’s commissioner Dr Maggie Atkinson heard some pupils were …
Exciting news – a conference speaking invitation
I have exciting news – I am to be a keynote speaker at the forthcoming SEN Conference, Towards a Positive Future that is to take place in Newbury in June. …
Labour SEN Policy Review – want to get involved?
This is taken from the website of Sharon Hodgson MP, but I thought it might be useful to post it here too, in case anyone hasn’t seen it and wants …
Report finds government misled MPs and peers of disability benefit reform
A NEW REPORT entitled Responsible Reform, published today by disabled people (9 January 2012), finds that government misled MPs and peers over the hostility to disability benefit reform. It finds that Parliament …
Government Supports Autism Bill (UK)
The Government has, for the first time, declared its support for what could be England’s first Autism Bill. The National Autistic Society (NAS) celebrated the move as a vital development …