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No mention has been made yet on the position of Special Education in the Tories’ “Big Society” plan launched this week.
David Cameron announced establishment of a “Big Society Bank” to finance charities and voluntary groups, but days later British charity Barnardo’s still has no information on how the plan will deliver.
“The plans will need to develop further before individual organisations can comment on their involvement or the likely effect the plans will have on them,” said Barnardo’s media officer Kate McGown.
UK charity for families with disabled children, Contact a Family, are reluctant to make assumptions, as they find themselves in the unknown ground within Big Society. They remain patient to learn about the application process for the Bank, which to their opinion is just an idea at this point.
A hint of optimism appears as Contact a Family’s spokeswoman said: “Our chief executive had a meeting with Sarah Teather about the Green Paper that will focus on SEN children and I do think the government is listening to the people working in the sector for disabled children and their families, but I think we’re in early in the early stages still.”
During last week’s debate in the House of Lords supporters of Special Education raised concern if the expected Green Paper will provide ease for schools to obtain funding for structural alterations, in order that children with special educational needs can attend and play a full part in the life of those schools.
Lord Hill of Oareford said: “The Green Paper to which I referred is a very pale shade of green at the moment.”
Katarina Petrović 