Top of page
Education and Employment

Significant educational gaps identified for children with disabilities

Teacher having lesson with tablet pc

Local authorities across Merseyside must adopt a “genuinely holistic approach” to the provision of education for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), after research revealed significant gaps.

University of Liverpool Law School and Liverpool Law Clinic suggest the appointment of a lawyer with specialist knowledge of SEND law to take over responsibility for overseeing SEND cases, as well as the introduction of a system to ensure SEND officers are aware of, and comply with, time limits.

SEND officers should also communicate with parents and young people in an “honest, open and understanding manner”, with a record of such communication kept on file.

And increased oversight of school activity in relation to illegal school exclusions must take place “as a matter of urgency”.

The recommendations are made in the report, Children, Disability and Service Provision: A Liverpool/Merseyside Perspective by Seamus Byrne, Deborah Tyfield and Dr Amel Alghrani.

The report reveals what the authors call a “broad systems-wide failure” in the provision of SEND support across Merseyside.

It found that:

  • just 12.5% of applicants interviewed received an education, health and care plan (EHCP) within the timescale set out in law
  • 37.5% considered their EHCP, when delivered, to be vague and imprecise, with one respondent complaining it was “full of typing errors and spelling mistakes”
  • 88% said applying for and obtaining the relevant care had directly impacted their health, family and personal lives
  • 82% reported having to pay for either privately commissioned expert evidence or external legal or advisory assistance in order to secure support
  • 41% reported having to give up work, close down their business or drop to part-time hours to continue attempting to secure support

“There is no question that overall the respondents within this study found the process to be extremely difficult” said Seamus Byrne.

 

You might also like

from left Ganga Fraser and Clement Ng from left Ganga Fraser and Clement Ng

Calling all passionate people – Churchill Fellowships open today

Churchill Fellowships for 2023 open today and people are invited…

back side of a kid with toys back side of a kid with toys

UNICEF releases new report on rights of migrant and displaced children with disabilities

Children with disabilities and children on the move represent highly…

African School boy in class African School boy in class

African Union, UNESCO call leaders to prioritize equal opportunity in education

UNESCO and the African Union urge governments in Africa to…

diverse group of people including a wheelchaie user in the middle diverse group of people including a wheelchaie user in the middle

Sanofi launches NextGen scholarship program to boost diversity in healthcare

Sanofi announces at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic…