I enjoyed Eduardo Reyes’ blog ‘Spying on children’s special needs provision’. The problem with the government’s promise of ‘joined up thinking’ in relation to special educational needs (SEN) and children’s disability rights is that there is no easy marriage between education, health and social care.

The three have always competed for attention and funding. Lumping them together and calling it an Education, Health and Care Plan is a nasty trick to make you think there is more funding available to support your disabled child.

The truth is that by pooling resources into a single pot, the three departments are enabled to argue about how the pot is going to be allocated. So more dissent, less money and reduced care.  

The worst sin is stupidity – nothing is more dangerous than the sincere ignorance and stupidity of the new reforms.

Christopher Digby-Bell, London W1

Topics