ALLFIE Manifesto
Alliance for Inclusive Education Manifesto ALLFIE has now published its revised inclusive education manifesto, reflecting the core changes in legislation and context, and the Government at large. Our manifesto is set in the context of increased state funded segregation, greater challenges faced by education providers and less flexibility within the education system. Disabled pupils’ and students human right to inclusive education under Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is at the heart of our demands, alongside the transition from a segregated to inclusive education system. Our revised manifesto focuses on the challenges in our education system faced by disabled people, education providers and society as a whole. The challenges of education include being a vehicle for social cohesion whilst preparing students for the future workplace, accountability and measuring success, and the inclusion of children with a broader range of impairments, support and access needs. All whilst providers are expected to do more with fewer resources.
We believe disabled people have the right to: • An inclusive education supported by human rights laws • A coordinated education, health and social care system • An inclusive learning environment • An inclusive curriculum • An inclusive assessment system • An education workforce committed to inclusive education practice
We have moved our focus from an individualistic to a systematic approach to developing and promoting inclusive education practice. We have focused on changes in laws and systems around education, health and care and transport services, building design, qualification assessments and workforce development that would support inclusive education practice. Our demands are therefore focused on what needs to change in education, health and care organisational support in order to Further, we have adopted a more holistic view of implement an inclusive education system. inclusive education that doesn’t focus only on We intend to increase our outreach so that our what support disabled people require to flourish in manifesto is not only supported by our allies working mainstream education. We have also considered in the area of inclusive education practice. We are whether closing segregated education provision is making headway; the SEND Community Alliance, sufficient, or whether we need to spell out how to a coalition of parent campaign groups including achieve this goal. During turbulent times, parents Special Needs Jungle and SEN Action, have are worried about their children receiving no incorporated a specific demand around inclusive education, when mainstream providers still lack the education. We are keen in building more on what short-term capacity to be inclusive of all. We have we have in common rather than what divides us. focused on special schools becoming community resource hubs where mainstream education We are also asking mainstream education providers can go for specific advice, equipment and children’s campaigns and organisations and resources to support their inclusive education to support our manifesto. We are pleased to practices. We would like to develop this further, so include the Children’s Rights Alliance for England, Comprehensive Future and the Anti-Academies please do contact us with any specific ideas. Alliance amongst mainstream education campaign We worked with our trustee board to develop our groups pledging their support for ALLFIE’s inclusive manifesto. We decided ALLFIE’s six manifesto education manifesto for the first time. We are keen demands remain relevant, however we have to build on our success so if you or your organisation updated the content to reflect both positive factors has not yet pledged its support, please do so at and shortcomings of current legislation and policy, www.allfie.org.uk or contact simone.aspis@allfie. and connecting thinking between education, health org.uk and care services.
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