The Council for Disabled Children has partnered with the Department for Education (DfE) to host a series of SEND Engagement Events. They are taking place both face-to-face and online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This week, an in-person event took place at the Novotel on Victoria Street with PR coverage of the day from Barnett Creative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As well as capturing photographs and footage for social media publicity, it was hoped by organisers that parents would contribute a brief interview when the event closed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the end, the only contributors were host Amanda Allard – Director of Council for Disabled Children, Kenton Mee – Director of National Network of Parent Carer Forums South West and Mark Tucker – SEND Lead, NHS Improvement South West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whilst a hasty Reel was popped together with parent carers engaged in discussion, it was not really a reflection on the mood of the room. Grave concern about the impact and likely failure proposed reforms would have on families and provision was the message of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the biggest worries concerned the loss of legal protection for children. A potential infinity loop with reduced Tribunal powers at naming a school would keep families locked in an endless cycle of battling the LA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There were also worries that the proposed reforms would encourage off-rolling, even more difficult relationships between schools and families and the fact that proposals were pretty much a watered down version of what was already currently in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The representation in the room was very poor and this was a concern raised by attendees. Although nearly 20 per cent of Bristol’s diverse population is made up of Minoritised communities, the only parent carers in the room were white. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lack of representation of people making up other demographic groups was also a concern raised by attendees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Worries regarding Bristol knife crime and its connection with the city’s Send failure were also raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some of the people who most needed to be in the room had been unable to access it depending on what barriers they were experiencing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was also unclear how the children and young people who were out of education, on EOTAS packages or home educated would have the opportunity to feed into the consultation, despite reassurances on the day that it would happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DfE officers were told that ultimately, “Bristol will lead the Judicial Review” when the time came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson MP, was unable to attend as expected. Instead, she sent a video message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said: “Hello everyone, I’m so grateful to you for all your commitment to improving the outcomes, experiences and lives of all children and young people with SEND. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We want every child to have the best start in life so that they have every chance to achieve and thrive regardless of what their needs are or where they come from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“But it’s clear the current SEND system is failing far too many families. I’ve heard time again about the challenges people face navigating the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I’ve heard time again about the toll that takes, especially on parents who have to fight tooth and nail for the support their children need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“That’s why we’re reforming the SEND system. And rest assured, the new system will be shaped by the voices of thousands of children, young people, families and professionals from every corner of the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We grateful to everyone who has contributed and helped shape our policies so far.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We recently outlined our plans for every child in the Schools White Paper and the SEND Consultation document. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“And at the heart of our proposal for SEND in particular, sit the crucial principles that delivering support early, locally, fairly and effectively as we shared responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We’re backing ambitious reform with unprecedented investment. \u00a34 billion to make sure specialist SEND support is available in every school and in every community. That includes the \u00a31.8 billion Experts at Hand Service, so children can get help from specialists, expert SEND teachers, Speech and Language Therapists will be ready to go when needed whether or not the child has an EHCP. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It also includes the \u00a31.6 billion inclusive mainstream fund to make mainstream classrooms more inclusive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“And we’re investing over \u00a3200m so that every Best Start Family Hub can offer dedicated SEND outreach and support service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The children with the most complex needs where it’s finding specialist and alternative provision places so that no child has to wait for the support they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We know that stronger accountability is also essential and for the first time, Ofsted will have a specific focus on inclusion during the school inspection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There will be firm protections in legislation so that every partner in the system – from local authorities to health services – is held accountable for delivering success to children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“These are once in a generation reforms and it’s crucial that we get this right. That’s why we need your help. I want to keep listening to the people who know the system best. So please tell us what you think. Share your views, your experiences and your ideas before the consultation ends on the 18 May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Together, we can build a system that gives every child with SEND the support that they need to achieve and thrive.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DfE and Bridget Phillipson have both come under fire in recent months for turning off commenting on social media posts regarding Send reform. The usually factual comments and experiences of parents in the system with defined issues regarding proposed reforms were clearly not palatable to those claiming to listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MP Georgia Gould had also been scheduled to attend, but due to political commitments did not do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roop Bhinder, Deputy Director \u2013 SEND Reform Engagement (DfE) – spoke to the background of the event and gave an overview of what the SEND reforms would look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said: “In practice, this means I’ve had the privilege of coming to many events like this and supporting our ministers in co-producing these reforms. Your feedback today will go direct to ministers and the policy makers in the department and as Amanda said, that’s why we’ve got a note-taker and facilitator on every table.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She wanted to “reflect on how we got here”. Previously, “hundreds of engagement events” had been held across the year to gather views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said: “During the national conversation, we reached thousands of children, young people, parents, families, professionals, local authorities and other experts. Across our engagement, we heard we need a system where all children can achieve and thrive. We heard that the current system needs to work better for everyone in involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“So In February, we published two key documents – The Schools White Paper and the SEND Consultation. Together, they outline the government’s vision for reform, to enable all children to achieve and thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We launched a formal consultation on the detail of our proposed reforms to the SEND system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We now have a once in a generation chance to improve our SEND system. And in order to do so we are continuing to hear from children, young people and the whole sector. That brings us to where we are now, the consultation period.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said “thousands” had already responded to the consultation. The events were a “chance to hear your views “directly across all of the proposals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bhinder said that although the consultation finishes on the 18 May, “this is not the end of our conversation with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Ministers are committed to continue engagement as our proposal develops. Later this year, we will publish the government’s response to the consultation. Then our intention is to bring forward legislation as soon as we can.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bhinder then went into more details around the three-tiered support structure that would replace The 2014 Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) reforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The full details of the consultation can be found on the DfE website: https:\/\/consult.education.gov.uk\/send-strategy-division\/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the themes being discussed at the event<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bristol engagement event was divided into three timed slots for those taking part to contribute their views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the day, the breakout sessions were as follows: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The DfE video of the event<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chopsybaby.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/Accountability-complaints-and-appeals-1024x751.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chopsybaby.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/Inclusive-Mainstream-Education-1024x697.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chopsybaby.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/specialist-Support-and-EHCP-DfE-Changes-1024x776.jpg\")
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