Posts Tagged ‘Legal Framework’

‘Failing to listen to parents at an early stage sows seeds of mistrust between parents and professionals and can spoil the relationship between them for many years’

Posted in Events, Towards a Positive Future Conference, Tweets on 04/03/2012 08:03 pm by Janet

Tania Tirraoro is a mother of two sons who have Asperger Syndrome, a wife, author, journalist and the founder of the special needs jungle website. The special needs jungle is a solid resource for suggestions, advice and tips for parents with children with special needs.   She has personal experience and writes about life, the care of her sons with special needs and much more.

Tania is one of the four keynote speakers at this year’s Towards a Positive Future Conference having attended as a delegate last year.

“The event was held at the Mary Hare School for hearing impaired children near Newbury. The school does inspirational work in providing an education for its pupils, helping each through individually designed hearing equipment. As a non-maintained state school, the school’s head, Tony Shaw, said they are ‘not considered to be part of inclusion’ and have had their funding cut by central government. This, despite the Education Secretary, Michael Gove, himself having a sister with a hearing impairment.”

Her talk will provide feedback for one of the pathfinder sites for the UK Government Green Paper on Special Education Needs:’ Support and Aspiration, A new approach to special education needs and disabilities’.

The Green Paper states that every child needs the right resources early in life to reach their full potential. The need for resources is in great demand with the growing identification of over 2 million children and young people who are in need of support for their needs.

IPSEA were among many charities, support groups and individuals who responded to the 2011 Government Consultation on the ideas published in the green paper. IPSEA, who represent parents who have had difficulties with their school or Local Authority, replied: “In many cases, by contacting us and using the existing legal framework, these parents have achieved a satisfactory outcome for their children.  Where we oppose any of the proposals in the Green Paper, we are aiming to ensure similar outcomes in the future – and to protect the existing rights parents have.”

“We question whether currently parents see Local Authorities as having a role as champions for vulnerable children and families. In order for that to be achieved there needs to be a re-building of trust and confidence. It is essential that Local Authorities apply the SEN legal framework in a consistent manner in order that no postcode lottery exists between geographical areas in the delivery of provision.”

Tania has been informed that there will be NO White Paper published.  Instead the UK Government will soon issue a new document called “The Way Forward”.  This will set out that:

  • There will be a new SEN Code of Practice by the academic year 2013/4.
  • The Education Health and Care Plan will replace the Statement of SEN by 2014.
  • There are no plans to remove parents’ right to appeal.
  • The EHCP will still have statutory protection.
  • Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy will continue to be funded by education if an educational need.
  • Money allocated per child will be up to £10,000 per child based on a needs-based formula and schools can commission services directly from this budget.
  • Personalised budgets will come in in September 2013 controlled by parents.
  • Screening at 2 to 2.5 years is to be reintroduced with the training of an additional 10,000 Health visitors.

Tania Tirraoro considers that  Local Authorities are still seeing parents as ‘separate’ and on an ‘opposing side’.  Book now to hear Tania and other speakers at the Towards a Positive Future 2012 conference.

share save 120 16 Failing to listen to parents at an early stage sows seeds of mistrust between parents and professionals and can spoil the relationship between them for many years
 

Review of the Conference – Towards a Positive Future – 14th October 2011 by ‘Special Needs Mum’ Tania Tirraoro and orginally published on her site ‘Special Needs Jungle’

Posted in Events, Towards a Positive Future Conference on 10/20/2011 12:26 am by Janet

The event was held at the Mary Hare School for hearing impaired children near Newbury. The school does inspirational work in providing an education for its pupils, helping each through individually designed hearing equipment. As a non-maintained state school, the school’s head, Tony Shaw, said they are ‘not considered to be part of inclusion’ and have had their funding cut by central government. This, despite the Education Secretary, Michael Gove, himself having a sister with a hearing impairment.

The school has had to diversify to survive, establishing an ear mould lab that services the NHS. Despite this, Mr Shaw says they never forget what they’re there for. He said, “At the core are the children we have the passion of serving.”  It’s a sad fact that, in the politics and cost-cutting of government both local and national, this message is too often overlooked.

Another speaker was Kevin Geeson, CEO of Dyslexia Action, who talked about the opportunities and risks of the Green Paper. He highlighted concerns about the assessment of hidden disabilities such as dyslexia in that it may not be picked up early enough and the question of who will control the personal budgets given to children to provide for their SEN. Mr Geeson said the Green paper brought an opportunity to provide the proper skills and support for teachers to include all children in the curriculum. He said, “Good teaching for children with hidden disabilities is good teaching for all.”

Education solicitor, Inez Brown of Anthony Collins solicitors, set out the legal framework and funding of special needs and pointed out the problem with parents appealing against SEN decisions for children at the new Academies because the Academies do not fall within the Education Act. She also pointed out that the Green paper removes speech and language and occupational therapy out of educational provision – something every parent of a statemented child should be aware of. This means that the local authority cannot be challenged about these things at a Tribunal.  

The conference also heard from internationally acclaimed academic, Professor Heather Van Der Lely who has developed an early-identification test for dyslexia called GAPS.  The professor pointed out that seven per cent of children have a specific language impairment – seven times the incidence of autism. She is trying to bring about the widespread use of GAPS which, she says, is quick, efficient and highly accurate. The crucial issue is, of course, that there are not enough Speech and Language Therapists to help all those that the test could identify.

Former Head Teacher, Charlie Mead is a consultant Child and Educational Psychologist, advising schools, the NAS and health and prison services about working effectively with young people with complex needs. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of helping children with special needs and makes the analogy of how the system is like an egg timer – with all the resources at the top not being able to filter down to those who need them at the bottom – ie, children. He spoke of how he had introduced nurture groups to a school in Birmingham where children with special needs were taught, mainly in the same classroom without the need to move around the school and given the help they needed, and how this had greatly improved their outcomes and allowed them to participate and be included within the mainstream of education. This is a fascinating idea that, with a some effort and will, could be adopted by every school in the country. It deserves greater public attention than it so far seems to have had.

One form of ‘hidden disability’ is that of acquired brain injury – that is, an injury not present at birth that occurs by illness or accident during childhood. Often these injuries present in a similar manner to developmental disorders. Every year it is estimated that at least 50,000 children and young people acquire a brain injury. Often, it is not until some time after the injury that a connection is made between a behavioural or learning deficit in the young person and the injury or illness that previously occurred. Research shows that 50% of those in custody have some kind of ABI. Louise Wilkinson, Training Manager of the Child Brain Injury Trust spoke at the conference of the issues faces by people with ABI. Her charity has been working to educate teachers on how to deal with such children. The charity is holding a conference in 2012 on the issue.

Finally, conflict resolution & NLP coach, Ian Ross and Lynne Kerry of Vievolve held a session about how to approach and deal with conflict and negotiations. They explained how to negotiate on ‘interests’ rather than ‘positions’ and how to maintain your cool when involved in a difficult discussion. One of the pieces of advice was to put yourself in your ‘opponent’s’ shoes and think what they are thinking. The company offers NLP coaching to businesses and individuals and has a number of courses at its South Oxfordshire venue coming up.

The site for the conference, where a DVD of the presentations will soon be available to purchase can be found here: http://www.wordswell.co.uk/conference/. Another event is being scheduled for next April.

All in all there was great concern over what the future for special needs might bring. It is clear that the green paper is far from perfect and that changes will need to be made. But it is heartening that there are plenty of people who are concerned with SEN that do not forget that the child is at the heart of everything. It is impossible to ignore the fact that money is always an issue, especially in these times, but our priority must surely be with the most vulnerable and childrenwith special needs are undeniably that.

   

 
share save 120 16 Review of the Conference Towards a Positive Future 14th October 2011 by Special Needs Mum Tania Tirraoro and orginally published on her site Special Needs Jungle