MPs Urge Rethink On Special Needs
The government should rethink its refusal to separate the assessment and funding of special educational needs provision, an MPs’ committee has said. Local councils are responsible for assessing what extra help children may need in schools, as well as funding it. The Education and Skills Committee has repeated calls for this to end, to increase parents’ confidence in the operation of the system in England.
In 2006 around 1.5 million children, or 19% of all pupils in England’s schools, were recorded as having some sort of special educational need (SEN). Around 35 have an SEN statement, which sets out the extra help they are entitled to.
Schools Minister Andrew Adonis, said: “We agree with the report that ensuring parents have confidence in the SEN system is important. We will undertake research, with the tribunals service, to look at the experience of parents through the process and identify how schools, local authorities and the SEN and disability tribunal can increase parental confidence, we aim to publish by next summer.”
24th Oct 2007
