Coronavirus: Derbyshire parents say keeping kids with special educational needs in school is "not in their best interests"

Keeping kids with special educational needs in school is “not in their best interests” and could cause “massive safeguarding issues”, say Derbyshire parents.
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that schools will close to the vast majority of students from Friday, March 2-.

However, kids of key workers, such as those in the NHS, and children on Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans – who have special educational needs and disabilities – will still be in school.

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This is to ensure key workers can still go to work and that children classed as more vulnerable still get assistance.

Schools will be closed to everyone except for the children of key workers and those who are classed as 'vulnerable'Schools will be closed to everyone except for the children of key workers and those who are classed as 'vulnerable'
Schools will be closed to everyone except for the children of key workers and those who are classed as 'vulnerable'

Some schools, particularly special schools, but also those in areas with higher levels of poverty, have more pupils on EHC Plans and students that are vulnerable.

This includes children entitled to free school meals – for which there will be a national voucher scheme.

Emergency powers contained in the government’s proposed Coronavirus Bill would give councils the ability to relax support for children with special needs – in extreme circumstances.

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This could include ending one-to-one support for children – due to staffing shortages.

Sharon Davis lives in Brampton with her 10-year-old son, Josh Higginbottom, who is a full-time wheelchair user and has a number of speech impediments.

He has asymmetric quadriplegic cerebral palsy and so has difficulty controlling movement of his arms and legs.

Josh has an EHC Plan and attends Ashgate Croft School in Chesterfield. Ms Davis has been fighting to get better support for him.

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Ms Davis said she felt SEN children should NOT be kept in school – partly because this would mean they were exposed to infection instead of being isolated at home and partly because there would be fewer staff available to look after the children.

She said relaxing the rules of the Children and Families Act could cause “massive safeguarding issues”.

Remaining in school at risk from the virus is “not in their best interests” she says.

Teresa Bowler is from Ironville. Her son Daniel is six years old and Ms Bowler had to take the county council to tribunal to get sufficient support – wrapped up in an EHC Plan.

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Ms Bowler says that the government should not be picking and choosing which children remain in school – particularly if it leaves the most vulnerable, including those with learning disabilities, at risk from Covid-19.

She said: “I’m furious about it. A school is a school and the fact they have stated they can pick and choose what provision they want to or can provide as well is absolute nonsense.”

“Kids will not be getting the specialised provision set out in their plans and there is no face-to-face contact for children at home.”

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: “This is a rapidly developing situation and we are working through the issues following the government’s latest announcement and looking at how we can support schools through the pandemic.

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“We’re currently waiting for clarification from the government on the key worker roles and as soon as we have the information we’ll be sending it out to schools to give as much clarity as possible for schools and parents.

“There’ll be information posted as soon as it’s available on our dedicated coronavirus webpages at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/coronavirus

“Many schools are already being proactive in putting arrangements in place and we’d like to thank them for their commitment and hard work at this very testing time.”