April 29th 2013 – This idea is a wonderful concept and I applaud the Government for trying to drive forward legislation which is intended to reduce barriers and reach many more people by introducing the 0 to 25 plan.
I proudly attended the launch of the Ambitious about Autism launch of their ‘Our lives in your hands’ campaign recently, as one of nine families whose stories were represented. The report has been published and shared with Ministers in the hope of strengthening the Children and Families Bill and we were addressed by PUS for Children and Families MP Edward Timpson who said lots of positive things and I for one was impressed with his knowledge and the sincerity with which he spoke about many of the issues.
During the question and answer session another parent asked him how high we should raise our expectations given that no additional funding is available for this strategy and the Minister said that the only way all this can be accomplished against such a challenging financial backdrop is for Health, Education and Social Services to work together to improve efficiencies thereby saving money.
As a parent and as a governor at a special school I am very worried that the lack of appropriate funding will not only limit what can be done to provide resources for the additional age groups covered by the new 0 to 25 plan but in fact Local Authorities, strapped for cash, are actually considering taking resources away from existing SEN pupils to help pay for it. My own authority, in considering its ‘local offer’ had been talking about reducing the entitlement for young Statemented pupils between the ages of 16 and 19 from 5 to 3 days of schooling per week. Even though they have now reigned back from doing this in one go they are still talking about ‘tapering’ where these young people will gradually lose their full-time schooling until they reach the three days per week proposed.
I find this rationing offensive actually and deeply worrying to think that we are being asked to rob disabled Peter to pay for disabled Paul as I am entirely certain that efficiency savings made by getting Health, Education and Social Services to work together will not by itself come close to funding all this appropriately and I implore you to do what you can to make those decision makers aware of the likely impact of this Bill without the money to pay for it.
http://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/page/who_we_are/news/article/index.cfm?articleId=266
http://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/page/who_we_are/news/article/index.cfm?articleId=284
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