News:

Every Disabled Child Matters is a new campaign to get rights and justice
for every disabled child. The campaign is supported by four national
organisations working with disabled children - Contact a Family, the
Council for Disabled Children, Mencap and the Special Education
Consortium. We want 10,000 supporters to sign up to the campaign by
December 2006. Join the campaign at www.edcm.org.uk - and ask everyone you know to do the same.

    October 2006

The Government's reponse to the Education and Skills Committee Select Committee report on SEN has now been place on the web at:

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/

                                                                                                          October 2006

Council attacked over inaccuracies

A council has been attacked for distributing "dangerously inaccurate and misleading" information about special educational needs. 

A leaflet put out by the London Borough of Lewisham tells parents that "statements [are] no longer necessary".  Click here for further details

August 2006

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal Service Update July 2006

Pilot Project:  Early Evaluation of SEN Appeals

From August 2006 the Tribunal Service will be conducting a pilot project to improve the quality of evidence available at tribunal hearings in an effort to reduce adjournments.  Click here for further details

The House of Commons Education and Skills Committee Third Report of Session 2005-06 relating to Special Educational Needs has now been published.   This can be downloaded at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmeduski.htm

[Warning - it is 143 pages long] or ordered for £17.50 from: 

http://www.tsoshop.co.uk/ 

July 2006

The SEN & Disability Division of the DfES has written to all Chief Education Officers and Directors of Children's Services on blanket policies in relation to statutory assessments and specifying and quantifying provision in children's statements.  Click here for full letter in word.