Opinion

All in all... Children and Families Bill

'Shake up' or 'lost opportunity?' Opinions are divided on the Children and Families Bill and children with special educational needs, says Dr Katherine Runswick-Cole.

The Government is changing the system for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN). Children's minister Edward Timpson has described the new Children and Families Bill as 'the biggest shake up to the special needs system in 30 years'. And yet, the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) campaign says the Bill is a 'lost opportunity'.

KEY CHANGES

The key changes for children with SEN are:

FROM OPTIMISM TO DISAPPOINTMENT

The changes were initially welcomed by children's charities, but optimism has given way to disappointment. This is because the EHC will not be available to those children who are disabled and have health and social care needs but no special educational needs. This had led EDCM to claim that there will be a two-tier system.

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