‘Bewildering’ system leaving disabled children in pain

In some cases, youngsters are left in pain because their wheelchair is too small for them, according to Christine Lenehan, director of the Council for Disabled Children.

Often disabled children are forced to undergo dozens of assessments, she said.

Her damning indictment of support for disabled children and those with special educational needs came as the Government unveiled plans to overhaul the system for the first time in 30 years.

Ministers said the current system is too complex, and often leaves parents fighting for the support. Under proposals published today, parents will be given a bigger choice of schools, and by 2014, a legal right to control the funding for their child’s support.

The current system of special educational needs (SEN) statements will be replaced by a single SEN plan covering education, health and care until a youngster reaches 25.

There will also be a school-based category for pupils who need extra help in the classroom.

As she launched the proposals Ms Lenehan described the current challenges SEN and disabled youngsters face.

“We have had children who have waited over six months, or over a year for a wheelchair. Some services are very inefficient.

“We have had children who have had to go into hospital for operations because their wheelchair means it affects the way their muscles are growing.”

She added: “If they have had to wait a long time then it can affect their growth and development. It can leave them in pain.”

Ms Lenehan said she had seen assessments “mushroom” and that these take a “huge” amount of time and resources, she said.

The new measures contains plans to allow parents of children with SEN to choose which school they want their child to attend, whether mainstream or special.

Despite reports that tens of thousands of children could be taken off the SEN register by the proposals, Children’s Minister Sarah Teather insisted that the Government has no target for reducing the numbers of SEN children.

In a statement, Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “Life chances for the approximately two million children and young people in England who are identified as having a special educational need, or who are disabled, are disproportionately poor.

“By the time they leave school, these young people are more than twice as likely to be out of education, training or employment as those without a special educational need.

“We know that there is much that is excellent in the support for these children, young people and their families. But we also know that this isn’t happening nearly enough.”