NIACE seminars on the SEN & Disability Green Paper Friday, August 10, 2012 - 09:40

In partnership with the Association of National Specialist Colleges (NATSPEC) and Disability Rights UK, NIACE is hosting two seminars in October to explore the significant impact that changes in the strategic planning and funding of provision for young people with special educational needs and disability could have on the learning and skills sector.

Yola Jacobsen, NIACE Programme Manager, said:

"The seminars come at an opportune moment following on from the planned publication this September of the draft Children and Families Bill, which will be for consultation. Many in the FE sector will, I imagine, be very interested to comment on the proposals in the bill that would mean that the Education, Health and Care Plan will provide statutory protections for young people over 16 and up to 25 in colleges, comparable to those associated with SEN statements. We are pleased that colleagues from the Department for Education and the Preparing for Adulthood programme will be speaking at the seminars about their involvement in work on the bill and the work to take forward the reforms outlined in the SEN and Disability Green Paper."

This May, following on from the 2011 Green Paper Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability, the government published the Progress and next Steps report - a response to the consultation on the Green Paper and next steps in taking forward its plans. The government's focus is on developing the system from age 0-25 to support people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disabilities and at its core is the development of a single assessment process and a joint Education, Health and Care Plan.

The changes will have a significant impact on the learning and skills sector and the NIACE seminars, will provide attendees with the opportunity to learn more about the draft Children and Families Bill, reforms to school funding and the impact on colleges, progress of the SEN and Disability Pathfinders and the Preparing for Adulthood programme, supported internships trials, and much more.

Confirmed speakers at the seminars include:

• Alasdaire Duerden, Team Leader LLDD Policy/SEN Green Paper, Department for Education
• Russell Ewens, Funding Policy Unit, Department for Education
• Linda Jordan, Pathfinder Support Lead, Preparing for Adulthood, National Development Team for Inclusion
• Nicola Gitsham, Project Manager - Preparing for Adulthood, National Development Team for Inclusion
• Viv Berkeley, Programme Development Manager, LSIS