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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

inappropriatelyemployed · 07/01/2014 08:58

I think equality is the answer and we need to move away from the idea of inclusion as it has been abused, used as an excuse to dump kids and no one really has a proper definition for it.

To me, equality would mean equal access to education, equal opportunities, equal life chances but the means of achieving this are far more individual.

lougle · 07/01/2014 09:34

I wouldn't mind you campaigning, if those 1854 supporters, who have signed your petition, all had experience of SEN, all had experience of 'inclusion' in MS, and all had experience of Special Schools to make a judgement.

The majority of those 1854 respondents, will instead be signing because of their misconceptions. 'Inclusion' doesn't work for very many children with SEN. Just hang around these boards for a week or two, to see what parents are having to do to try and secure effective 'inclusion.'

Those parents who want MS education because they view it as 'best' are not actually that plentiful. There are many more parents who view it as 'the only option', because there are very few specialist schools for children who are academically able but socially vulnerable, due to their SN, and those that are available are independent schools.

BESD schools are full of children who have major behavioural difficulties and are not a suitable environment for children with neurological SN.

The special schools that are available are increasingly taking children with Severe Learning Difficulties and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. Those children with Moderate Learning Difficulties who would, in times past, even recent years, have gone to special schools, have been pushed out into MS schools with barely any support. If they are lucky enough to have 1:1 support, it is usually given by someone who has no SN experience.

Long term, the more skills a child can learn in child hood, the more they can close the gap with their NT peers. DD1 is learning far more in SS than she would have done in SS. There are people who fully function as adults, who went to Special Schools as children.

ouryve · 07/01/2014 10:39

Seriously fence sitting here, too. My boys are both in a small, highly inclusive MS primary. MS secondary is completely inappropriate for either of them and DS1 is struggling, now. First day back, yesterday, we had a difficult weekend and DS1 was all over the place, yesterday. Bouncing all morning, bouncing all day (so much so that he ended up not included at all, as his 1:1 ended up sitting with him in a quiet room - and that's not a one off. He is often unable to access even a smallish MS classroom for more than a portion of the day and not at all, some days) and exploding into the house and ranting all evening.

Inclusion isn't including him and we're trying to get him into a specialist, pretty much one of a kind, BESD school for boys who do have neurological differences.

The campaign I would support would be one asking for rights to a truly appropriate education, in whatever setting is truly best.

inappropriatelyemployed · 07/01/2014 22:37

ouryve - that is what the law allows you. The right to an appropriate education in the setting that meets needs.

It's not what our kids get though.

I think there is a disconnect between the ideal of inclusion, which I support strongly, and the reality of our school system. And that's the problem. Inclusion has just turned into an excuse to dump kids just as 'care in the community' was a reasonable sounding excuse to shut institutions (many, very very bad) when there really was nowhere for them to go.

CwtchesAndCuddles · 08/01/2014 21:48

I agree with Lougle 100%

My son attends a special school and many parents are fighting to get their child a place there having been failed by mainstream. My LEA default is mainstream - it's so much cheaper!!!

Inclusion is wonderful in theory but the reality is many children need special schools.

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