Government’s Schools White Paper Lacks Clarity And Legal Protection Havering Campaigner Hits Out.
Havering SEND Campaigner Sam Jobber today writes in the Havering Daily on the new White Paper for SEND children.
The UK Government’s schools white paper has raised concerns among parents and educators about whether children with complex needs will receive the support they require.
As it stands, EHCP (education, health and care plans) are a LEGAL document that sets out support for children with additional needs, that schools struggle to support from their own resources.
The EHCP funding comes from the local authority.
With the Government’s schools white paper, it plans to only issue EHCPs to the most complex needs children and young people.
The government isnt clear to what they mean by ‘complex needs’
This will force many children that have additional needs in a mainstream setting without any proper legal support.
In Havering, many families say they already face significant challenges securing appropriate SEND support.
Parents report long waits for assessments, difficulties accessing specialist provision and ongoing battles to secure the help their children are legally entitled to.
The proposed policy lacks clarity on how pupils with complex or overlapping needs will be properly identified and supported. There are also fears that increased pressure for inclusion could force anxious neurodivergent children into mainstream schools without sufficient legal protections or specialist support.
Teacher training is another major concern. Many educators say they receive little training in neurodivergence, leaving them underprepared to support pupils with neurological differences such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia etc.
The Department for Education has previously acknowledged that large class sizes can contribute to challenging behaviour when teachers are unable to meet every child’s learning needs. Some teachers also say they do not always feel adequately supported by leadership teams.
“Inclusion cannot simply mean placing children into mainstream classrooms without the support they need to succeed,”
“Without clear legal protections and proper investment, families fear vulnerable children will be left struggling.”
True inclusion must be backed by clear guidance, robust legal protections and meaningful investment in teacher training.
The Department for Education is currently seeking public views on the proposed reforms. The consultation can be accessed here:
Parents, carers and professionals are being encouraged to share their views before the consultation closes, as the outcome could shape the future of SEND support across England.
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