CSIE writes to ministers calling on them to ratify without reservation the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

CSIE has written to ministers over the DCSF’s impending recommendation that the UN Convention should only be ratified if the UK government reserves on Article 24, which calls for inclusive education for disabled children. In letters to ministers and a submission to the parliamentary Joint Committe on Human Rights CSIE, which contributed to the drafting of the Convention, points out that such a reservation would not only contradict the presumption in favour of inclusion which the Department itself has made, it would also contradict the very principle of the Convention.

CSIE supports disabled people’s organisations protesting at the absence of any representation from disabled people in the national conference ‘A New Future for Special Schooling’

CSIE writes to the Secretary for State for Education and Skills expressing concerns about the Governments’ continued ambiguity about inclusive education

In its letter to the Minister (PDF, 25Kb) the Centre says that the current ambiguity over inclusion is not acceptable and has urged the Government to adopt a clear strategic direction of making properly supported inclusive education a reality for each and every child. The Centre’s comments follow the Government’s announcement in its response to the Education and Skills Select Committee Report on Special Educational Needs that it intends to continue providing a flexible range of SEN provision including separate, ‘special’ schools.

CSIE responds to Education and Skills Select Committee report on special eductional needs

The Centre says the Government should stick by its inclusion policy – despite criticism from the House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee following its inquiry into special educational needs provision. According to the Centre, the Government was right to envisage in its 2004 SEN Strategy a reduction in numbers of pupils attending separate ‘special’ schools.

CSIE responds to Government’s new SEN strategy

The Government’s latest plans for ‘special needs’ education will perpetuate prejudice and discrimination against disabled people, according to the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE), an independent education charity.

The national Centre says that plans to retain separate ‘special’ schools in perpetuity for some pupils works against the long-term interests of disabled people. The Government’s plans are contained in its new strategy document, Removing Barriers to Achievement: the government’s strategy for SEN.

Response from CSIE to the Green Paper Every Child Matters which sets out the Government’s proposals for reforming the delivery of services for children, young people and families

While welcoming the thrust of the Green Paper for health, education and social services to work more closely together, CSIE urges caution over the new role proposed for schools as a base for better co-ordinated children’s services. The Centre says that potentially the concept of schools as ‘one-stop shops’ or ‘full-service schools’ supports inclusion. However, there is also a danger that the proposals could create new forms of segregation. Much will depend on the extent to which developments are applied across the country or are limited to some schools. The Centre says it would be a particularly backward step if the proposals were taken forward by extending ‘special’ schools.

Response from CSIE to the Green Paper Every Child Matters which sets out the Government’s proposals for reforming the delivery of services for children, young people and families

While welcoming the thrust of the Green Paper for health, education and social services to work more closely together, CSIE urges caution over the new role proposed for schools as a base for better co-ordinated children’s services. The Centre says that potentially the concept of schools as ‘one-stop shops’ or ‘full-service schools’ supports inclusion. However, there is also a danger that the proposals could create new forms of segregation. Much will depend on the extent to which developments are applied across the country or are limited to some schools. The Centre says it would be a particularly backward step if the proposals were taken forward by extending ‘special’ schools.

CSIE response to the revised SEN Action Programme

CSIE believes that the proposals for a new SEN Action Programme should be considerably strengthened and re-conceived as a National Inclusion Action Programme with a clear goal of phasing out segregated educational settings and developing a restructured, inclusive mainstream education system capable of providing appropriate support for all pupils in their local areas.