Minister seeks more parental choice on special needs
September 15, 2010 in Special Needs News by Admin Dawn
The children’s minister says parents should have more choice over special educational needs provision in England, as she seeks input for a Green Paper.
Sarah Teather said the current system for determining the help children get was too “adversarial”.
A fifth of school age children have some form of SEN, ranging from physical disabilities to emotional problems.
Parents complain of a battle for help, while it is claimed schools inflate figures to boost league table scores.
About 3% of children have severe special needs and are assessed by their local authorities and then given “statements” of their needs.
The authority must then provide for the child’s education.
Disability and special needs charities have long said some parents face long and difficult battles to have their children’s needs documented and provided for adequately.
Ms Teather said parents should be more involved in deciding which schools their children go to – “rather than just being told their child is going here and it’s tough luck if they don’t like it”.
Read more here: BBC News – Minister seeks more parental choice on special needs.
