July 2012 - "Summaries of the Response to the SEN Green Paper"
Although my last update was at the beginning of the Summer term in May 2012 and I was not intending to write another update before the start of the Autumn term in September 2012, I am conscious that the Government’s response to the SEN Green Paper came out soon after I wrote my May 2012 update.
In the update I also said that I would not rush out another update as soon as the Green Paper response was published, as there would be more than enough press releases from Education and Disability organisations and other articles and comments in the press for people to read and, as usual, I wanted to wait a while for the dust to settle before sharing my considered thoughts with you.
But I have noted that many people have been subscribing to my updates or downloading information from our website in the past couple of months and, from speaking to people during this time, I have come to realise that many people want to find out a bit more about what the Response says sooner rather than later.
So with the assistance of a colleague doing an Internship with us (James Atkinson) I have decided to put together a couple of brief summaries of the full 87 page response to let people read over the summer if they are interested which I will probably expand upon in my September update.
If you want to read the full paper entitled ‘Supporting Aspirations: A New Approach to Special Educational Needs and Disability’ and ‘Progress and Next Steps: A Brief Summary’ you can still do so by clicking on the link above.
But if this is all a bit too overwhelming for you or you do not have time, James has kindly helped me prepare both a brief summary and an extended summary of the full Response. Just click on the relevant links to take you to new pages on our website.
Alternatively (or as well) there is also a helpful House of Commons Library Standard Note published on 22 June 2012, which comprehensively outlines the current SEN system in England and then highlights the main proposals of the Green Paper. It also refers to the Government’s plan to implement the changes.
In my last update, I criticised the Government for still not having responded yet over a year after launching the Green Paper on 9 March 2011. Although we now have a response and the aims of the Green Paper, on the whole, are noble and probably uncontentious (since they seek to make the whole SEN framework better for children with SEN/Disabilities and their families to negotiate), I am still a bit critical.
Firstly, it seems to be the fact that the Government seems determined to push the reforms through too quickly and without evidence even being obtained yet from those Local Authorities who are trialling the new systems (some of whom are not even starting their trials until September 2012 and many of whom have already started but who are using different methods from one another).
Secondly, I am hearing on the grapevine that there are plans to reclassify 'SEN' (so that less children are classified as needing help) and there are also arguments about who is going to be responsible for things like the therapeutic elements of special educational provision in a statement of SEN (i.e. Education or Health). This worries me...
I will write more about the Response to the Green Paper as well as other things in September 2012. For now, may I wish everyone for a good summer, which I am sure it will be with the London 2012 Olympics/Paralympics.
With best wishes
Douglas
P.S. I always find it helpful to learn more about what people think about these updates so please take a minute to tell me what you think by clicking on ‘July 2012 Update – Your Thoughts’. Many thanks in advance if you get the chance to do this.
In the update I also said that I would not rush out another update as soon as the Green Paper response was published, as there would be more than enough press releases from Education and Disability organisations and other articles and comments in the press for people to read and, as usual, I wanted to wait a while for the dust to settle before sharing my considered thoughts with you.
But I have noted that many people have been subscribing to my updates or downloading information from our website in the past couple of months and, from speaking to people during this time, I have come to realise that many people want to find out a bit more about what the Response says sooner rather than later.
So with the assistance of a colleague doing an Internship with us (James Atkinson) I have decided to put together a couple of brief summaries of the full 87 page response to let people read over the summer if they are interested which I will probably expand upon in my September update.
If you want to read the full paper entitled ‘Supporting Aspirations: A New Approach to Special Educational Needs and Disability’ and ‘Progress and Next Steps: A Brief Summary’ you can still do so by clicking on the link above.
But if this is all a bit too overwhelming for you or you do not have time, James has kindly helped me prepare both a brief summary and an extended summary of the full Response. Just click on the relevant links to take you to new pages on our website.
Alternatively (or as well) there is also a helpful House of Commons Library Standard Note published on 22 June 2012, which comprehensively outlines the current SEN system in England and then highlights the main proposals of the Green Paper. It also refers to the Government’s plan to implement the changes.
In my last update, I criticised the Government for still not having responded yet over a year after launching the Green Paper on 9 March 2011. Although we now have a response and the aims of the Green Paper, on the whole, are noble and probably uncontentious (since they seek to make the whole SEN framework better for children with SEN/Disabilities and their families to negotiate), I am still a bit critical.
Firstly, it seems to be the fact that the Government seems determined to push the reforms through too quickly and without evidence even being obtained yet from those Local Authorities who are trialling the new systems (some of whom are not even starting their trials until September 2012 and many of whom have already started but who are using different methods from one another).
Secondly, I am hearing on the grapevine that there are plans to reclassify 'SEN' (so that less children are classified as needing help) and there are also arguments about who is going to be responsible for things like the therapeutic elements of special educational provision in a statement of SEN (i.e. Education or Health). This worries me...
I will write more about the Response to the Green Paper as well as other things in September 2012. For now, may I wish everyone for a good summer, which I am sure it will be with the London 2012 Olympics/Paralympics.
With best wishes
Douglas
P.S. I always find it helpful to learn more about what people think about these updates so please take a minute to tell me what you think by clicking on ‘July 2012 Update – Your Thoughts’. Many thanks in advance if you get the chance to do this.
