Young Person’s Voice
Education, Health & Care Plans
Giving evidence to the Education Select Committee
Back in early 2019, we received a call from the Education Select Committee inviting us to present our research evidence as part of their SEND Inquiry. We jumped at the chance as we thought this might We know that – we feel it – we see it happening be a way to really achieve change. in our schools and colleges and we researched it. We know that our experiences of the education We are the RIP:STARS, a group of disabled young system have been poor, we have experienced many researchers aged 16 – 23 based in Coventry. We moves in education, not received the support we were funded by DRILL/Big Lottery to undertake should have and have felt excluded, isolated, voicedisabled young people-led research into quality and less, powerless, angry, and sad. We know that rights in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). we can’t ever get that time again – but if we can In December 2018 we published our research change just one child’s experience then we will. A generation of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is failing to receive the support it deserves, say the Education Committee in its report on SEND.
findings, based on interviews and discussion groups with disabled young people, parents and professionals from across the country. Since then, we have been travelling the country disseminating our research, and our person-centred, rights and quality framework for SEND practice to nearly 1000 professionals. We haven’t yet met anyone that doesn’t agree that change is needed in how we view disabled children and young people and how we support them, especially if we are to achieve inclusion. The report and framework for practice can be downloaded for free from our website: www.ripstars.net
So on March 19th 2019, we went to Parliament. We spoke about our rights, as human beings, to an inclusive education that meets our needs and supports us to achieve a full life, now and in our futures. We felt welcomed and listened to by the MPs, we enjoyed our day at Parliament and came away hopeful that maybe – just maybe – somehow we might have made a difference.
On October 23rd 2019, the Commons Education Select Committee published their report. https:// publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201919/ cmselect/cmeduc/20/20.pdf
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