Gillian Doherty

They're toast. Official line will still be 'no decisions made', but next step will be a DfE tendering notice for Ghanian dancing pallbearers, a 10-foot floral arrangement that they'll spell "ECHP", and a post-event posting contract with Wayne Rooney

image shows a primary aged Asian boy wearing glasses looking at the camera. In the background are other disabled children. The image is in black and white

NEW POST: The Department for Education's URGENT survey for data on its new obsession: Mainstream SEND units. All good, or is there a danger of shunting children into generic provision? We give you our views, then please give the DfE yours www.specialneedsjungle.com/g...

image shows the logos of the organising members as written in the post

NEW POST: Join our joint campaign to #SaveOurChildrensRights. We've launched in @theguardian.com with a letter cosigned by 100 SEND charities & groups, academics, disability campaigners & celebrities, incl Chris Packham and Christine McGuinness www.specialneedsjungle.com/s...

Parliamentlive.tv Education Committee

"We won't be removing any existing effective support" says SEND & Schools Minister Catherine McKinnell to the Education select committee. Well, that's not reassuring at all when it comes to removing rights parliamentlive.tv/event/inde...

EHC plans can be the difference between a child who has Down's syndrome thriving in school and being unable to attend at all.

We support the DCP campaign that is calling on Ministers and policymakers to retain EHCPs.

Please check out the letter: https://loom.ly/MjKKPw0
‪@dcpcampaign.bsky.social‬

image shows illustration in shades of green of some people looking pleased behind a small building and others looking cross being a building squashed by a hammer like whacamole

On SNJ Today: SNJ's @captaink77.bsky.social has delved deep into obscure statistics to uncover a curious conundrum: Despite the DfE wanting more mainstream “special” provision, resource bases and units vanish almost as often as they're created... www.specialneedsjungle.com/v...

Is the government going to take away the rights of children with Special Needs? It is beginning to look like it.

I wrote this. I kind of had to. maybeimamazed.substack.com/p/is-the-gov...

It’s overwhelmingly mothers who fight these SEND battles, who leave their jobs, who have their lives turned upside down, & who keep on fighting for others

I wonder if the No10 strategy and comms bros who’ll sign this off have clocked this

Over 64,000 signatures. Please sign and share to protect the rights of disabled children.

🚨Children with SEND deserve support, not cuts to their rights. The Children and Families Act 2014 is vital. Let's protect it — and them.

Sign the petition and help @spcialndsjungle.bsky.social
reach 100k signatures for a parliamentary debate.

#SEND

Act now! Sign and Share the Parliamentary Petition to PROTECT SEND RIGHTS! - Special Needs Jungle Our petition to protect SEND rights has taken off but we need 100,000 signatures so it gets debated in parliament! Please SIGN and SHARE

50,000 signatures! Halfway to the 100k we need for a parliamentary debate! Have you added your name and shared with schools, colleagues, family and friends? Get Grandma to sign! Act now! Sign and Share the Parliamentary Petition to PROTECT SEND RIGHTS! www.specialneedsjungle.com/a...

Act now! Sign and Share the Parliamentary Petition to PROTECT SEND RIGHTS!

NEW POST: @rachel.stopsafetyvalve.uk writes about why the petition to protect SEND rights needs 100,000 signatures—and though it's well on the way, read about why signing is vital—and if you haven’t already, please SIGN and SHARE this post and petition!
www.specialneedsjungle.com/a...

Petition: Retain legal right to assessment and support in education for children with SEND Support in education is a vital legal right of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We ask the government to commit to maintaining the existing law, so that vulnerable chil...

The government is considering removing EHCPs for pupils with SEND in mainstream schools. SNJ team member Rachel Filmer has started a petition to call for the protection of disabled children’s rights.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...

Petition: Retain legal right to assessment and support in education for children with SEND Support in education is a vital legal right of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We ask the government to commit to maintaining the existing law, so that vulnerable chil...

The UK government is considering removing education, health and care plans for disabled children in mainstream schools. This would affect 252,000 disabled children, including my son Jack who has Down syndrome. Please sign and share this petition.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...

Petition: Retain legal right to assessment and support in education for children with SEND Support in education is a vital legal right of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We ask the government to commit to maintaining the existing law, so that vulnerable chil...

The UK government is considering removing education, health and care plans for disabled children in mainstream schools. This would affect 252,000 disabled children, including my son Jack who has Down syndrome. Please sign and share this petition.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...

If there is any truth to the recent ‘statutory SEND plans will only be for special school pupils’ kite-flying exercise, then it’s nailed on that there’d also be a fettering of tribunal appeal rights

DfE savages Conservatives' SEND improvement plan Conservative government’s SEND improvement plan 'did not go far enough'

If there is disquiet in Gov about expansion of Special schools & the tension with the need for a more inclusive mainstream system, then I would want some urgent action to protect Special schools from forced overcrowding. We are overwhelmed by consultation for placement & the law is not our friend.

Destroying disabled children’s rights isn’t bold and brave. It’s the exact opposite. Desperately worried about this.

On SNJ Today: Understanding the history of disabled children's education and the work of the #disability movement is vital to understand why #inclusion is important, says Dr Richard Rieser OBE. Vital for educators and families alike. www.specialneedsjungle.com/d...

image shows two shots of the witnesses and the hearing room

NEW POST: Where is the accountability in #SEND? Catriona Moore watched the latest SEND Inquiry hearings on accountability, including her IPSEA legal colleague, who emphasised that compliance shouldn’t be optional for LAs and health services www.specialneedsjungle.com/a...

a group of children, one with Down syndrome superimposed over a lime green background and signs saying inclusion, equity belonging and diversity.

NEW POST: In this important article, inclusion expert Dr Richard Rieser OBE explains how learning from #Disability history can help create policies where inclusive education can become a reality www.specialneedsjungle.com/d... #inclusion

Musing on this. If it isn’t costed then surely it’s an idea, not a plan? Imagine trying this with your boss or bank and the response you’d get. #SEND

Love this:

Scores of English councils could go bankrupt when hidden Send debt reappears Deficits of £5.2bn have been put aside for seven years in accounting fix that ends on 31 March 2026

“Scores of English councils could go bankrupt when hidden SEND debt reappears” - 2 stories in one paper on SEND deficits—lots of briefing by LAs going on, though some figures are wrong, SNJ's Matt says. Tania quoted in one www.theguardian.com/educatio...
www.theguardian.com/educatio...

The DfE's £740m SEND capital grant for 2025-26 was first announced back in December. It's trailed as a mainstream-focused SEND investment

But it isn't. As with previous grants, LAs are free to use it to build or improve either in mainstream or special - and this time, post-16 too. Is there a plan?

It looks like council Dedicated Schools Grant deficits for this year (2024-25) are coming in much worse than the Department for Education expected

DfE's estimate for in-year deficit (per October 2024 NAO report) - £1.1bn

Likely in-year deficit (Q3 LA out-turn forecasts) - £1.8bn

As the Spring Statement beckons, no obvious sign of the Treasury, DfE and MHCLG hammering out a deal on what to do about this

Until they do, expect more briefings about SEND's 'existential' financial risk to councils - but bear in mind that real kids bear genuine existential risk here

Amy in a love heart frame. Amy is smiling and has auburn hair and bright eyes

NEW: Our post today is dedicated to remembering AMY, @catrionamoore.bsky.social and @edreyesjourno.bsky.social “fierce, funny and fabulous” daughter whose funeral is today. You can donate to Amy’s hospice #DemelzaCharity at the link in the post:
www.specialneedsjungle.com/r...

On SNJ Today: Charity @TheDifferenceEd says Whole School Inclusion isn't just a buzzword. Their new research shows it can be defined and measured around four key pillars: www.specialneedsjungle.com/i...

'I can't work because my kids have severe needs, cruel DWP changes will sink us' Nicola Holmes quit work to care for her son and daughter who both have severe needs. For the former professional actor, PIP and Universal Credit have been lifelines for her family. Without them, she f...

“Disabled young people tell us how few opportunities there are for inclusive work or training so we are extremely concerned about the removal of under 22's access to top-ups to universal credit unless they are in work or training.” @cyclingtheseaso.bsky.social www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...