In the United Kingdom (UK), public schools apparently are not prepared financially and materially to support the education of students with special education needs (SEN). This situation forces parents to send their SEN children to specialized schools.
According to the Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE), there has been a consistent attack on the government’s part against children with learning disabilities.
Recent statistics show that there are fewer students with special education needs (SEN) in public schools in Yorkshire.
Data also shows that since 2012, there has been a five percent (5%) decrease in the number of SEN children in regular schools in the area.
This is a worrying trend, considering the fact that the British government adopted the Children and Families Act back in 2014.
According to the Act, SEN children are entitled to a place in regular public schools whenever this is possible.
Special education needs in the UK
According to representatives from ALLFIE, parents do not have the choice between sending their SEN children in a specialized school or a public institution.
There has been an increase in the number of charities and organizations looking to change that.
Recently, a petition was signed by more than nine thousand people in the United Kingdom, as they wanted to see mandatory autism training for teachers in public schools.
The main issue before public schools is that they lack the funding to support special education programs, which means that there is no trained staff or curriculum developed for SEN children.
Thus, parents have to send their children to special schools, even if they do not want to do that.
Recourse for parents of SEN students
Less than a month ago, parents of children with special needs have made a series of emotional requests outside of the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
2014 was the year where significant changes in government policies brought some hope for SEN students. However, the councils that have legal duty to match the prescribed changes appear to be inadequate then and now.
The schools complained about the deficiency of school budgets to cover the gaps in special needs funding. However, the Department of Education responded with a statement that SEN students should have the same privilege as the other children.
‘Special educational needs‘ is a legal definition and refers to children with learning problems or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children the same age.
