Press release: Sense comments on SEN reforms
03 September 2012
Commenting on the draft legislation published by the Government today on reform of provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs, John Dickinson-Lilley, Deputy Head of Public Policy at the deafblind charity Sense, said:
“Sense welcomes the principles driving the draft clauses published today, however we are deeply concerned that a legal obligation on health is not included in the proposed single plan. We are calling on the Government to ensure the single plan for children with special education needs and disabilities is legally enforceable on education, social care and health providers.
We recognise the complexities of joining up education, health and social care but it’s essential that the health needs of deafblind children are not only identified but met by the proposed system - without this their education could be at risk.
Sense looks forward to working with the Government on its reforms because the current statementing system it extremely fraught and complex: Parents of deafblind children tell Sense they have to fight for up to two years to obtain a statement for their deafblind child.”
Media enquiries
Vanessa Stevens 020 7520 0965 / vanessa.stevens@sense.org.uk
Out-of-hours media enquiries 07770 580 843
Notes to editors
Sense is a national charity that has supported and campaigned for children and adults who are deafblind for over 50 years. There are approximately 4,000 deafblind / multi-sensory impaired children in the UK.