Disabled people challenge government SEND proposals over segregation concerns

Disabled People’s Organisations will gather in Manchester and online to challenge government SEND reform proposals and hear from groups they say are underrepresented in the consultation process.

The government’s SEND Reform Consultation is due to close on 18 May. In its consultation and Schools White Paper, the government has set out proposals for changes to the SEND system.

However, the Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) has raised concerns about several aspects of the proposals, including:

• That Inclusion Bases in schools increase segregation, rather than inclusion.
• That segregated education settings are being prioritised for funding.
• That concerns from Disabled people are not being reflected in the proposals.

ALLFIE, alongside the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, will launch the Northern Inclusive Education Network at an event titled ‘Build Inclusion: Educate, Don’t Segregate’. It’s taking place in Manchester and online via Zoom on 30 April.

The event will bring together Disabled people and organisations from across the UK to discuss Government SEND reform proposals. It will provide a clear, accessible overview of the proposals. And it’ll discuss their potential implications for Disabled children and young people.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to share lived experiences and perspectives on the proposed changes.

Sessions will be facilitated by members of ALLFIE’s youth campaigning and activism project, Our Voice, as well as representatives from Disabled People’s Organisations and staff from both organisations.

People in the SEND system best placed to comment on it

Organisers say young Disabled people, who are currently navigating, or have recently navigated, the SEND system, are best placed to describe its impacts in practice. They also highlight the role of grassroots organisations, which draw on long-standing experience in Inclusive Education and Disabled people’s rights.

Lani Parker, of ALLFIE, said:

Young Disabled people and grassroots Disabled people-led organisations are often not adequately involved in decisions that directly affect them.

We believe those with lived experience of the SEND system should be fully included in shaping reforms.

The current proposals risk weakening the rights of Disabled children and young people to learn alongside their peers. We are calling for a system that delivers Inclusive Education in practice for every Disabled child and young person.

Organisers also warn that the proposals will deepen exclusion and segregation for already marginalised communities. This includes Disabled people experiencing intersecting inequalities related to race, class, gender and sexuality, who are often disproportionately affected by systemic barriers.

You can register for the event here. It runs from 11.30am-6.00pm on Thursday 30 April.

ALLFIE is a Disabled People’s Organisation founded in 1990 and led by Disabled people. It is a UK-based organisation focused on campaigning and information-sharing on education, training and apprenticeship issues affecting Disabled people.

It’s the only national Disabled People’s Organisation in the UK focused specifically on Inclusive Education. ALLFIE campaigns for the right of all Disabled pupils and students to be fully included in mainstream education, training and apprenticeships with the necessary support.

ALLFIE believes that Inclusive Education is the basis of lifelong equality. It argues that children who learn and play together are more likely to grow into adults who understand and respect difference.

Featured image via the Canary