Five former education secretaries have made a joint appeal to Labour MPs to support the overhaul of special educational needs and disabilities (Send) provision in English schools, describing it as a 'once in a generation chance' to fix a broken system. The open letter, signed by David Blunkett, Estelle Morris, Charles Clarke, Ruth Kelly, Alan Johnson, and former schools minister Jim Knight, comes ahead of the schools white paper due on Monday.
The proposed reforms, set out by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, aim to better include children with all but the most severe needs in mainstream schools, with direct support provided to schools. The changes include revisions to how children qualify for education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which legally entitle them to support. Downing Street is keen to avoid a rebellion, mindful of the fallout from previous attempts to reform disability benefits.
The former ministers stressed the importance of the reforms, stating: 'We must not betray the millions of children across our country who deserve the best from their government.' They added that the plan had been 'painstakingly put together after more than 18 months of consultation' and would give children 'more support, not less'.
While many Labour MPs welcome the direction of the reforms, some remain nervous about legal redress for parents and the transition process. One government source said: 'This is a good Labour package, underpinned by good Labour values. We want parents to get the help they need without being forced into a legal fight with their council.'
