26/07/07 - Robert Buckland Launches Special Educational Needs Campaign in the Swindon

South Swindon's Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Robert Buckland, is inviting parents of children with Special Educational Needs to contact him with their experiences of a system which in many instances is failing children, according to a recent House of Commons Select Committee Report.

Robert, who has a child with special educational needs, wants the Government to address the issues raised in the report as a matter of urgency.

He has written a letter to the Swindon Advertiser, which is reproduced below:
 

Join My Campaign

Sir,

The House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee recently published a report about special educational needs (SEN) provision that was highly critical of the Government.  There are about 1.5 million children in England who have some form of special educational need, which means that there are thousands of children in Swindon who are, in the opinion of the Committee, being failed by the system.

Local Education Authorities are not receiving a clear policy direction from the Government, whose ministers have admitted that, in effect, their policy is to have no policy.  Well-meaning aims of including children into mainstream schools have led to a significant reduction in places for SEN children across England.  Many children are not being given a statement of special educational needs until they are past ten years of age.  This is shocking and unacceptable.  Families who have to move areas often find that their child’s special needs are not recognised by the education authority at their new home address.
 
As a parent of a child with special educational needs, I feel very strongly indeed about this issue.  Through your newspaper, I would like to hear from local parents in a similar predicament.  Please write to me at 14 Bath Road, Swindon SN1 4BA, ring me on 07885 304713 or e-mail me on rob@southswindonintouch.com.

 
For far too many parents, ensuring that their child’s educational needs are met is proving to be a real fight.  It’s time for this to change.

Yours faithfully,

Robert Buckland

Parliamentary Spokesman, South Swindon