Campaigners for children with SEND have accused the government of trying to strip parents of their rights and taking away access to EOTAS (education other than at school) from thousands of children and young people.
The claims come following the launch of a consultation by the Department for Education (DfE) into the future of the provision, branded as “life-saving” for many of the 16,000 teenagers who currently use it.
EOTAS is not the same as home education, but a package of education contained within EHCPs. It is mostly accessed by young people with social, emotional and mental health difficulties and those with autism, but numbers have doubled in recent years.
Campaigners say the government proposals would mean no right of appeal against a decision on EOTAS, which would force a review of the young person’s EHCP.
Reintegration
However, the government plans to remove EHCPs for all but those children with the most complex needs – though it has not yet specified what these are.
Instead, campaigners believe, ministers want all young people currently accessing EOTAS to be reintegrated into school or post-16 provision that will be linked to the national curriculum – a move that would be unsuitable and inappropriate for those students.
Currently, pupils being educated outside of school access provision that is appropriate to their needs, which might include an online provider, a tutor or a specialist programme such as equine therapy.
In future, students will be expected to fit into one of the new individual support plans (ISP) and specialist provision packages (SPP) and might be assigned a named school to attend, with no appeal.
The ultimate goal is to force the child back into a school they were never considered suitable to attend
Launching the consultation, Bridget Phillipson (pictured), the education secretary, said: “This government is moving away from one-size-fits-all system that is failing our children, to one that meets the needs of every child, wherever they are, without a fight.
“For some children with highly specialist needs, that can mean being taught outside formal school and lessons.
“But I have heard time and again from too many families that they only ended up there after months of feeling let down, watching their child’s relationship with school break down bit by bit, with nobody stepping in soon enough.
“This consultation is about hearing from the families that know this system best, making sure no child falls through the cracks, and that there is always a path back to the school gate if that is right for them.”
Poor ideology
However, campaigners believe that “the ultimate goal is to force the child back into a school they were never considered suitable to attend.
“This is not about the child. It’s about the money and Bridget Phillipson’s poorly thought-through ideology that every child should be in a school, because she did well in one.”
This consultation, and a separate one on SEND funding, will close on September 18.
