Sensationalist reporting - whipping up resentment towards education bills for complex SEN placements

[SoFuckingTired]

AIBU to say that the purpose of articles such as this is to foster resentment towards disabled children/young people? Clearly I'm naive but I'm surprised and disappointed that the BBC would report in this way. Yes £2.5m is a lot, but when you actually read further this is a placement for very complex SEN/behaviour spanning several years

Council billed £2.5m for pupil with special needs.

Because it was aibu and the op was about whether articles like that whip up a frenzy i was fairly mellow about some of the less palatable views, because i feel thats what articles like that are aiming for and they illustrated the ops point.
Im not normally happy with the 'it was challenged response' from mumsnet if someone was asking for help though.

My comments definitely weren't aimed at you, please don't worry.

People need to be allowed to ask question within reason. If you pounce on anyone trying to express their thoughts and questions, you’ll just scare everyone off and that just breeds resentment and apathy.

My sister has just started working with children with some of the most severest SEN in an out of school capacity and she says the specialist school is mainly there to provide respite for the parents. There is no judgement from her in saying that, she has a social care background and has a lot of compassion for the kids she works with. She’s just describing the situation, and works out of school.

What do you mean by ‘take group action against them’? Do you meaning doxxing or something equally sinister?

I meant legally, obviously.

What do people mean about schools being like '''an expensive holding pen'' or making comments that ''might be taboo?''

Someone likened disabled children to animals.

There is no reason that is acceptable to that.

There needs to be much more high quality provision , preferably not for profit. I’m really anti (and to some this is a very controversial view) severe sen in mainstream schools as it stretches the staff too thin and often denies the extra help to the children have a fewer needs. It’s basically wasting resources because the help isn’t specialised enough for the children who should be attending specialist provision and then the senco in mainstream doesn’t have enough capacity to help the ones it was designed to help.
Some members of society do cost more but they shouldn’t be penalised or denied opportunities for that.

I see it as shining a spotlight on how much is charged by these providers. Its not just SEN schools its also placements for children in care, its in the millions and councils are going bust because there is no alternative but pay it

LAs will soon stop offering specialist SEN placements at independent schools and force mainstream to cater for those needs.

I dont think this is controversial at all. My daughter would absolutely not cope in mainstream it wouldn't be fair for her or the teachers or other children!

I agree with ur last statement unfortunately I genuinely believe you are in minority And that's is the problem, the goverment disagrees as they have been cutting the funding for years!

The children of your friends have been treated illegally, as there should be certain professional assessments by law (SEND COP) including EP. They should seek full reassessment with relevant people invited to input.

LA's will do anything to prevent needs being identified and provision made. It's a travesty.

If it’s independent schools costs to councils will increase if another 20% is added

My DS is in extremely high cost residential provision (over £150k per year). With the level of intervention that he is now able to access in the short to medium term, he is expected to make enough progress to be able to go to university and live an independent, taxpaying life. Without this level of support in his teens, he would probably have been dependent on us and the taxpayer for the rest of his life. A worthwhile investment in my eyes, even if you only look at it from a financial point of view.

I've told them already! The problem is im sure they are not only ones! One has just had to fight so hard for what they have actually been given they said doesn't have fight left she said and other is taking them to court for specialist provision which unsurprisingly they keep rejecting. And will be explaining this while in court she has been able to hire private EP

I’m not that poster and it’s not a term I would use myself, but remember that playpens exist too.

You want to take legal action against someone for this?

I think it's to highlight the poor state of the market which has become dominated by private equity firms trying to make a buck at the expense of local councils.

You really want to die on this hill, trying to find any angle to excuse that comment?

The person was referring to a school specifically for disabled children, as a 'holding pen''.

I don't think there is much ambiguity to be had here. For playing his advocate, I hope the Devil compensates you handsomely.

@Naptrappedmummy is right @Unicornsunited123

There is a HUGE rise in the numbers of children with severe and complex needs at the moment. This isn't something that can be explained purely by reduced services. Don't get me wrong, the reduced services side is appalling, but has happened / is happening ALONGSIDE a massive increase in the number of children with the most complex needs.

This is spot on.

I think the public at large have no idea what it is like trying to teach in Primary schools in my City - which I presume is replicated across much of the country.

I suggest you read my comment in full again. I did say ''not that I'm advocating for it''.

If this person had likened my child to an animal to my face, then they'd' receive a rightful earful from me.

They are wrong and you are wrong for suggesting I'm the villain here. Its ok to be upset when some ignoramus refers to your child as less than human.

I do think trying to legally do anything over a comments is a slippery slope but to compare disabled children to animals is pretty horrific and its not about deviating from preferred opinions ! I would hope the majority of people would see how Offensive that is!

I think all that poster meant is often schools are babysitting children or providing respite for parents. It’s a poor choice of words but certainly not bad enough to warrant you suggesting legal action.

I have a disabled child and they are saying my child doesn't deserve an education because she won't be able to work! And comparing to an animal!

Not to mention that specialist schools are NOT ''playpens'' - the staff are generally trained in teaching children with disabilities, helping them if possible to access a curriculum, regulate their emotions and yes, life skills and hopefully a degree of independence, so you're not just insulting the children themselves there.

And once again, I was posing a hypothetical situation in whatever it might take for Mumsnet to appreciate how insidious the ableism on here truly is.

I refer you to the first sentence of that post again. I was not actually advocating for legal action.

That person WAS referring to disabled children as animals and not deserving of education. Not to mention that investing in our children, means they ARE more likely to access employment in later life.

''Its a poor choice of words but'' Call it what it is - ableism.