Response to SEN and Disabilities Green Paper - Call for Views

The Commission responded to the Department for Education's Green Paper: Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities - Call for Views, which was launched in September 2010.

Introduction

The EHRC welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this consultation, and has drawn on research and policy development that we have undertaken as well as research and consultation with our stakeholders.

The principle that education improves life chances and earning ability is unquestioned. However as can be seen from the data below, the educational attainment of disabled persons in mainstream provision falls far short of that of non-disabled people, across all measures, starting at age 5. Most worryingly, when considering attainment levels of children with SEN who are also in receipt of free school meals, the picture is particularly concerning. This difference is reflected in attainment of basic skills, and persists into adulthood, whether considering participation and attainment levels of disabled people in higher education, apprenticeship schemes or adult education.

The EHRC welcomes the provision in the Equality Act 2010 to make it a requirement that reasonable adjustments in schools include auxiliary aids and services and hopes that this can be put into force at the earliest opportunity.

The EHRC recognises the benefits for children with SEN of establishing whether there are additional matters to do with the child's family or home environment that are causing learning delays or difficulties, and the degree the family is able to support the child in their education. We would like to see the Common Assessment Framework simplified and used more widely to achieve this. The EHRC is concerned about transition arrangements for young people with SEN to further and higher education, in particular where a child does not have a statement, and are also aware that the range of courses on offer to young people with learning disabilities is often restrictive.

Finally the EHRC is concerned about the high rates of exclusion of pupils with SEN, the high rates of bullying experienced by pupils with SEN, and the lack of independent right of appeal for looked after children with SEN.

Last Updated: 11 May 2011