If you were one of those who recently signed the online Government petition ‘Retain legal right to assessment and support in education for children with SEND‘, you’ll be pleased to hear there is an update.
Readers responded to the appeal from an Isle of Wight mother of three who spoke out about the personal toll of fighting for her children’s educational support—and why she believes proposed changes to SEND law would be devastating.
Must be considered for a debate
The petition has reached more than 100,000 signatures, which means that Parliament must consider the issue for a debate. You can read the Government’s full response below, but in summary they said,
“As part of our Plan for Change, we will restore families’ confidence and ensure that children with SEND will get the tailored support they need to achieve and thrive.”
Call for revised response
The Petitions Committee (the group of MPs who oversee the petitions system) has considered the Government’s response to this petition.
They felt it did not respond directly to the request of the petition. They have therefore asked the Government to provide a revised response.
Government’s full response
The Government’s full response was:
Government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right, tailored support to achieve and thrive in their education and as they move into adult life.
We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in early years and mainstream settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children with the most complex needs. Any changes we make to the system will improve support for children and parents, stop parents from having to fight for support, and protect provision currently in place.
We will strengthen accountability and inclusivity through Ofsted, support the mainstream workforce to increase their SEND expertise, and encourage schools to set up Resourced Provision or SEN units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.
The Department is working closely with experts in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families on how we can deliver the better system our children need and deserve.
We have also established an expert advisory group for inclusion to improve the mainstream education outcomes and experiences for those with SEND, and a Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group to provide a shared understanding of what provision and support in mainstream educational settings should look like for neurodivergent children and young people within an inclusive system.
This work forms part of the government’s Opportunity Mission, which will break the unfair link between background and opportunity – starting with giving every child, including those with SEND, the best start in life.
We will work with the sector as essential and valued partners to deliver our shared mission and restore parents’ trust.
