Introduction
The Special Educational Consortium (SEC) is committed to working in partnership with parliamentarians and government officials to promote and protect the rights of disabled children and young people and those with special educational need (SEN). Since its establishment in 1992, SEC has been an important partner in developing many pieces of legislation, including the Education Act in 1993, the SEN and Disability Act in 2001, the Equality Act in 2010 and the most recent Children and Families Act in 2014. We are proud to have established strong ties with parliamentarians both in the House of Commons and in the House of Lords who are also passionate about ensuring disabled children and those with SEN are able to reach their full potential. We are always willing to meet with parliamentarians and wider sector representatives. We encourage you to reach to see how we can support your endeavours: [email protected]
What are we doing now?
SEC is working in partnership with parliamentarians to influence the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill currently being debated in parliament.
See the timeline below:
- 18 December 2024 – letter sent to Stephen Morgan MP and young person’s account regarding the lack of safeguards for children and young people around the use of seclusion rooms.
- 17 January 2025 – Stephen Morgan MP replies.
- 22 January 2025 – SEC, working in partnership with the Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP), presents our key priorities for amendments to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill at the APPG for Children attended by MPs and peers:
- Ensuring free breakfast clubs are accessible to disabled children and those with SEN.
- A commitment to foster a supportive relationship between families and local authorities, including the creation of an Attendance Code of Practice.
- Making all school premises accessible to disabled children and young people by an end date.
- Raising our concerns over the use of seclusion as a disciplinary measure that results in children being denied access to the curriculum, deprived of physical activities, stimulation, and social interaction.
- 26 February 2025 – SEC briefs Helen Hayes on amendment to make free breakfast clubs accessible to disabled children and those with SEN.
- 22 April 2025 – SEC and DCP host a peers event in Parliament, sponsored by Baroness Thornhill, to present our priorities for the Bill. A young person attended and offered a powerful testimony of their experience of seclusion. The event was attended by 10+ peers, all showing support for our key priorities, particularly the use of seclusion. See the briefing below in resources to download.
- 15 May 2025 – Lord Holmes of Richmond tables two amendments on accessibility of free breakfast clubs (amendment 186) and an Attendance Code of Practice (amendment 499).
- Baroness Grey-Thompson sponsored amendment 186 on accessibility of free breakfast clubs
- Lord Wei sponsored amendment 499 on an Attendance Code of Practice
- June 2025 – Baroness Grey-Thompson tables an amendment on the use of seclusion (amendment 502N)
If you are interested in showing support for any of these amendments, please get in touch with [email protected].