THE campaign by Enable Scotland over inclusive education received a major boost last week.
A members’ debate at Holyrood on the charity’s Included in the Main report considered some of the findings we first revealed in December.
While widely supported, the policy of putting children with learning disabilities in mainstream classes at school just doesn’t seem to be working. There are not enough additional support staff to meet the needs of pupils with learning disabilities, according to 86 per cent of classroom teachers; 60 per cent of pupils with learning disabilities say they feel lonely at school and damningly, 98 per cent of education staff say teacher training does not adequately prepare them to support pupils with learning disabilities.
The outcome for too many pupils is not inclusion but exclusion – from school trips, playground activities, and from school itself. Enable Scotland found 40 per cent of parents said their child had been excluded informally, and 19 per cent said this happened weekly.
MSPs broadly agreed the verdict – “must do better”.
Science minister Shirley-Anne Somerville went further. The Government will begin consulting on May 19, about changes to guidance on mainstreaming, she said. Enable are hailing it as a major campaign win. But worryingly, Ms Somerville added: “This is not just a system issue or a resource issue, but a challenge to each and every one of us to examine and challenge our attitudes...”
It seems to me this is very much a resource issue. The Enable report paints a picture of politicians, school staff and parents all united in supporting the idea that pupils with learning disabilities should not be confined to special schools.
But to live up to that high ideal needs facilities schools haven’t got, support staff councils have got rid of, training that isn’t factored in. The commitment too a review is a major achievement. But Ms Somerville’s comments suggest the charity and the families it supports still have battles to fight.
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