The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) has welcomed DfE's announcement of new guidance around inclusion. You can read the DfE announcement in full here.
Amanda Allard, Director of CDC, said:
“We are encouraged to see the government providing strategic guidance alongside its investment in developing a more inclusive education system. There is still much to do, but this is an important step towards creating settings that can welcome, support and enable all children to thrive.
“CDC is proud to have supported DfE in developing guidance on Inclusion Bases. These provisions have the potential to enable more children and young people to access education within their local community and mainstream settings and, when implemented well, can play an important role in a more inclusive special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.
“Our engagement with the sector also highlighted potential risks, including unintentional segregation within schools. By setting clear expectations for inclusive practice at a system level, the guidance seeks to ensure Inclusion Bases improve access to mainstream education without creating new barriers.”
There is still much to do, but this is an important step towards creating settings that can welcome, support and enable all children to thrive.
Amanda Allard
Director of the Council for Disabled Children