[senco-forum] Disability Equality Scheme

Hi Amanda and All

As you are probably aware I have been actively lobbying on many issues
related to increased APD awareness.

There have been quite a few petitions and campaigns for better support for
and better standards of early recognition and assessment of APD and many of
the related conditions.

And just recently we have been getting a fairly standard reply from
Government, that the DED and the implementation of the DED policies in
schools is the tool that will make LEAs, School Governors, and School
Managers more accountable to their immediate consumers Special Educational
Needs and Disability requirements. 

So if a school tells a parent that they can not afford a particular support
program or assessment, then they may be called to open their books to show
that they have Ring Fenced their SEN provision, and spent all of their
existing SEN provision on SEN items. And that they have tried to access
alternative or emergency funding to cover the short term provision of the
specific service required. This is about increased accountability to
regarding to the provision of support for the disabled and to ensure that
all the government funding gets to the disabled and is not siphoned off by
management into other areas of school spending.

Obviously there are a whole range of other school policy and attitude issues
to be considered. Our head of school commented that DED requires every area
of school policy to be reviewed in relation to Disability Equality, and the
Duty may require there to be a more than Equal approach to some issues.

Best wishes

dolfrog

  _____  

From: Amanda [mailto:amandavh at btinternet.com] 
Sent: 12 May 2008 21:42
To: dolfrog at dolfrog.org.uk; 'tpillay'; senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Disability Equality Scheme

Hello

Can you tell me where the government specify the make up of the Committee
please.

Amanda

Secondary SENCO

Cornwall

dolfrog at dolfrog.org.uk wrote:

Hi 

The Government have stipulated that the minimum requirement is for a
Committee composed of one Governor, one member of staff, Senco, a parent,
and a disabled person.
For my sons school I double up as parent and disabled person.
The whole idea is that all who have access to school facilities especially
those who may have a disability are able to contribute to the policy.
The policy needs to centre around the needs of the disabled population of
your school, which includes disabled pupils, staff, parents and any other
group who use the facilities of your school. 
And for the purposed of the Schools the Governement includes those who are
dyslexia and many other invisible disabilities as groups who should be
consulted. If you do not consult with those who are disabled you can only
guess at their specific needs. 
So at this point in time you are contravening the Disability Discrimination
Act 2005 and the regulations governing the 3 year roll on review of these
policies. The DED policies committee will be part of future OFSTED reviews,
and should be taken very seriously inview of the recent Bercow Review
report.

Best wishes

dolfrog

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of tpillay
Sent: 12 May 2008 15:27
To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: [senco-forum] Disability Equality Scheme

Hi all

In September last year, I was asked by my Head to draw up
the school's DES on my own. She said it made sense for me to
do it as I am the Physical Disability Opportunity Base
Manager at our primary school. I asked for a committee to be
appointed to work with me, and asked for this again when I
had to present what I've done so far to the Governors' SEN
Committee last week. Again I was told to do it alone. Is
there anyone else who is doing this individually? Do I have
a leg to stand on, asking for a committee or working party
to work on it with me? I know it's overdue, but I found it
hard to get started initially. I'm still not doing very well
with it. I get 1 hour a week timetabled in to work on it.
Thanks for your input.

Tracy

Amanda
Secondary SENCO
Cornwall