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Preface
Social inclusion is a major theme of Government policy with particular implications for children with severe low incidence disabilities. It is clear that economic, political and cultural factors all contribute to the marginalisation of individuals and groups. In addition, children with severe low incidence disabilities may be faced with barriers to full social participation which arise as a result of their impairments. This report focuses on what needs to be done to remove or circumvent the barriers to their educational and social inclusion.
We suggest that there is a need for harmonisation of education and social services legislation so that children, as well as parents, have educational rights guaranteed in law. We believe that it is necessary to break with the historical legacy of provision for children with severe low incidence disabilities, which has sometimes hindered rather than promoted change and has certainly failed to deliver the same quality of provision to all. We anticipate that, in the future, a higher proportion of children with severe low incidence disabilities will be included in mainstream schools close to home, although we recognise that specialist services will be required to ensure that the education, health and social needs of these children are met. We suggest the establishment of a National Special Educational Needs Forum to continue discussion of these issues and monitor change.
We found some examples of health, education and social services working together to make the very best provision for children with severe low incidence disabilities, but we believe that there is a need for a far greater degree of inter-agency co-operation. We propose changes which will mean that decisions are driven by concerns with children's needs rather than existing patterns of service delivery.
We also consider ways in which parents can work more effectively with professionals as partners, drawing attention to the need for full and accurate information on which informed choices may be based. Finally, we emphasise the need to listen to the wishes of disabled children with regard to their education, whilst recognising that children with severe low incidence disabilities will communicate in different ways.
Sheila Riddell
Professor of Social Policy
(Disability Studies)
Glasgow University
The Committee reviewed special educational needs provision in Scotland for children with severe low incidence disabilities. Its report makes 22 recommendations.
The Committee welcomed the national policy framework
as set out in Special Educational Needs in Scotland: A Discussion Paper, issued
by The Scottish Office in 1998. The Committee proposes that a National Special
Educational Needs Advisory Forum should be established to assist with continuing
policy development and that the Government should review the legislative framework
for special educational needs provision to ensure that it does not disadvantage
particular children or groups of children. In particular, it proposes that the
statutory framework for educational provision for children with significant
health needs, who are not attending school, should be examined and clarified
to ensure that they receive adequate and efficient educational provision.
(Recommendations
1, 2 and 5)
The report acknowledges the commitment of Government
and local authorities to develop inclusive policies for children with special
educational needs, and suggests that there should be examination of what further
support could be made available to assist local authorities to include children
with severe low incidence disabilities in mainstream schools. At the same time,
the Committee takes the view that specialist provision will be more appropriate
for some children with severe low incidence disabilities,
(Recommendation
3)
The report recognises the importance of involving
parents in the education of their children, but also of taking into account
the views of children and young people. It recommends that steps should be taken
to identify good practice to enable the views of children and young people with
severe low incidence disabilities to be taken into account by schools, local
authorities and health boards in all decisions which affect them.
(Recommendation
4)
The Committee attaches great importance to the
need for good working practices between all agencies concerned in delivery of
services for children with severe low incidence disabilities, including education,
social work, housing and health and the voluntary sector. It considers that
the corporate approach required to implement and deliver local authorities Children's
Services Plans is central to ensuring adequate and efficient provision for this
group of children and young people. Its report makes several recommendations
aimed at the Scottish Executive and local authorities on improving and fostering
inter-agency co-operation and cross sectoral provision to meet the needs of
children with severe low incidence disabilities and their families. The report
welcomes the role of the voluntary sector and non-statutory agencies in supporting
local authorities to meet the needs of children with severe low incidence disabilities.
It encourages local authorities to fully involve them in both school and out-of_school
provision for such children.
(Recommendations
6, 10, 11, 12 and 13)
The report encourages local authorities, when planning
to meet the needs of children with severe low incidence disabilities, to identify
the scope for inter-authority provision with their neighbouring authorities.
It welcomes COSLA's guidance on inter-authority fees for special educational
needs provision and suggests that this be reviewed in the light of experience.
(Recommendations
7 and 8)
Concerns are expressed in the area of therapy provision
and the report asks that this area be examined by relevant departments of the
Scottish Executive. Local authorities are asked to agree arrangements with Health
Boards for the administration of medicines and medical treatment in schools
and the training and indemnification of appropriate staff for this task.
(Recommendations
9 and 14)
The Committee gave careful consideration to the
issue of central Government funding for severe low incidence disabilities. It
noted the provision of funding for the seven grant-aided schools currently funded
by the Scottish Executive, which historically has been justified on the basis
that the schools acted as national centres. It considered local authorities'
use of the schools and found no strong evidence to suggest that the schools
operated as national centres. Furthermore, the Committee noted that schools
in the independent sector operated successfully without Government subsidy.
In the light of the evidence available to it, the Committee is of the opinion
that the concentration of central government support on the seven grant-aided
special schools is not the most efficient, effective or consistent way of ensuring
high quality provision for children with severe low incidence disabilities throughout
Scotland. It proposes that these resources should be reallocated to local authorities
and that this be phased in over a transitional period to allow schools and local
authorities to adjust to a new fees structure and to safeguard the interests
of pupils at the schools.
(Recommendation
15)
The Committee believes that the grant-aided schools
have a continuing role to play as part of the independent sector. Its report
makes recommendations for strengthening the relationship between the Scottish
Executive, local authorities and independent special schools.
(Recommendations
16 and 17)
The report makes recommendations of importance
for schools and staff in the areas of staff development and training, SEN auxiliary
support services and the length of the school week in special schools.
(Recommendations
18,19, 20 and 21)
Finally, the report asks that further attention
be given to establishing and researching appropriate post-school provision for
young people with severe low incidence disabilities, with a focus on further
education, training and employment.
(Recommendation
22)
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