• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

Education

Special educational needs support ‘offered after exclusion’

Special educational needs support ‘offered after exclusion’
Newsexplored
24th November 2020
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
1

By Kayleen Devlin
BBC Ouch

Emily Child

image copyrightEmily

image captionEmily says she feels let down by the system after only receiving support once she had been excluded by school

Thousands of children with special educational needs were only offered support after they were excluded from school, the BBC has learned.

A Freedom of Information request found that since 2017, more than 1,300 children were granted an education and healthcare plan (EHCP) after exclusion.

An EHCP legally obliges local authorities and healthcare providers to meet a child’s needs.

The Department for Education said it was due to increase funding.

It said it would increase its spending for children with special educational needs (SEND) by £1.5bn over the next two years.

According to government data from 2019, 14.9% of all pupils in England have SEND, and of those 3.1% have EHCPs.

The information request, responded to by 73 (48% ) of councils in England, revealed that more than a quarter of SEND pupils were issued with an EHCP only after exclusion.

Long process

data-ad-format="auto">

Coventry City Council granted EHCPs to more than 40% of its permanently excluded SEND pupils.

It said the data highlighted that a student’s “level of need is not fully identified… prior to their exclusion”.

An EHCP is often seen as the only way of accessing the support a child needs.

It outlines the needs of each individual, which can include access to therapies or admissions to specialist schools.


But many applications are initially turned down and only issued on appeal – a process that can take months or even years.

image copyrightEmily Child

Emily Child, who has autism, was granted an ECHP after her mother appealed against the council’s decision not to grant one.

By this point, Emily, who was 13, had experienced multiple suspensions and had been transferred from her mainstream school to a pupil referral unit.

Emily, now 21, says that at the time she was known to mental health services, and had started taking blades into school to self-harm.

“I think my school tried their best, but with the resources they had they could only do so much,” she says. “Instead of there being support, I was just put in isolation on my own.”

A lack of funding and resources has stalled the provision for other pupils too.

‘Why haven’t I got any friends?’

Isaac, aged 10, who has autism and ADHD, has received no education for 13 months despite having an EHCP.

His last school placement broke down after his mum, Sarah, was told it was unable to meet his needs, and his new school says it needs more funding before it can support him.

“We’ve had very little contact from anyone,” Sarah said. “He keeps saying: ‘Why haven’t I got any friends?'”

Marijke Miles, chair of the National Association of Head Teachers’ SEND Council, said the figures revealed a “stretched” system.

“An exclusion is an incredibly distressing situation for everybody, and we would hope that in an effective system a comprehensive EHCP would prevent that situation.”

She said many schools wanted to support their pupils, but “blockers” – such as a lack of training and access to assessment services – meant children could fall through the gaps.

But, she added, EHCPs were not a silver bullet.

“There’s a rising need for specialist provision and a reduced capacity for schools to meet those needs.”

The amount spent on tribunals, triggered by guardians unhappy with the support offered, has also become a concern.

Robert Halfon MP, chairman of the House of Commons Education Select Committee said: “Local authorities spend £90m-plus a year on tribunals for children with SEND and mostly lose those tribunals.

“That’s money that could be spent on the front line.”

The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England, said tribunals were “a last resort” and “do not take into account a council’s finite resources to support children with SEND”.

The Department for Education said its SEND review, due out in 2021, would improve how young people with additional needs were supported.

Once Emily was granted her EHCP, she remained out of education for a year until she was found a suitable placement.

Now she is campaigning to improve the education system for vulnerable pupils.

“I just want to make sure the system changes, because my experience is not unique.

“My motto is change the system, not the person.”

Related Topics

  • Schools

  • Autism
  • Disability
  • Special needs

More on this story

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemsaftereducationalexclusionneedsofferedspecialsupport
Education
24th November 2020
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemsaftereducationalexclusionneedsofferedspecialsupport

More in Education

  • Read More
    What’s the science behind closing schools?

    Views:1 By Will FyfeBBC News media captionDr Heather Payne says school drop off and pick-ups created “social...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    Cancelled exams are a ‘big disappointment’

    Views:1 image captionJake did not want exams to be cancelled “It’s a big disappointment,” says 17-year-old Jake...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    Hawaiian shirts and gravy: Christmas tributes for loved ones lost to Covid

    Views:1 Christmas is different for everyone this year but especially for the thousands of UK families who...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    England ‘significant decline’ in global science tests

    Views:1 By Sean CoughlanBBC News family and education correspondent image copyrightTIMSS image captionThe maths and science tests...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    Covid: Some students not back until February next term

    Views:1 By Sean CoughlanBBC News family and education correspondent image copyrightReuters image captionStudents have been taking Covid...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    Covid: How might GCSE and A-levels work this summer?

    Views:1 By Branwen JeffreysEducation Editor image copyrightGetty Images A-levels and GCSEs in England are due to go...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    Free school meals: Authors urge government action to stop child hunger

    Views:1 media captionMarcus Rashford and his mother Melanie helped out at FareShare Greater Manchester. More than 200...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    Covid: Student anger over ‘junk’ food parcels in isolation

    Views:1 Image caption A student isolating in Nottingham was given bread, jam and an apple for breakfast...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    Next year’s exams to start later in Northern Ireland

    Views:1 Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Exams this year were cancelled due to the pandemic A-level, AS...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    Let depressed teens postpone exams, say researchers

    Views:1 Image copyright Getty Images Teenagers who struggle with depression significantly underachieve at GCSE, according to new...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    ‘Cities as friendly to strangers as towns and villages’

    Views:1 Image copyright Danny Lawson Image caption People in Nottingham were the most likely to step forward...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
  • Read More
    Hungary broke EU law by forcing out university, says European Court

    Views:1 By Nick ThorpeBBC News, Budapest Published 1 day ago image copyrightGetty Images image captionThe 2017 “Lex-CEU”...

    Newsexplored 24th November 2020
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • Trump pardons two convicted by Russia investigation
    USA23rd December 2020
  • New coronavirus variant: What do we know?
    UK20th December 2020
  • Kieran Trippier suspended for 10 weeks over breaches of betting rules
    Sports23rd December 2020
  • The Papers: UK and EU on ‘verge’ of Brexit trade deal
    UK23rd December 2020
  • Joe Biden unveils $1.9tn US economic relief package
    USA15th January 2021
  • How much can Joe Biden get done on the US economy?
    USA14th January 2021
  • Could Liz Cheney spark a revolt?
    USA13th January 2021
  • Trump National stripped of 2022 US PGA Championship
    USA11th January 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

Free school meals: Authors urge government action to stop child hunger
Covid: How might GCSE and A-levels work this summer?
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok