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Petition watch
Our readers are passionate about a wide range of issues. Here we will provide you with opportunities to support initiatives which are of importance to you. Petition Watch comprises a list of petitions relating to SEN which are currently active on the UK Parliament website with more than 100 signatures at the time of compilation. To add your name to any of these, go to the relevant page on the UK Parliament website (petition.parliament.uk). The petitions are not just symbolic. Any which reach 10,000 names will receive a response from HM Government. At 100,000 names, there is a chance that it will receive a debate in Parliament. We will continue to monitor and update this list in future issues, and of course report in more detail on any which meet either threshold.
Require all school staff receive training on SEN children
All school staff should be required to take a course on children with special educational needs (SEN). Too many school staff don’t have any idea how to engage with SEN children!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/587365
Government Response:
The majority of services for people with Tourette’s syndrome are commissioned locally by Clinical Commissioning Groups. These services will be appropriate for the majority of children and young people with Tourette’s syndrome, and the teams involved will refer them to multidisciplinary teams including clinical psychologists where necessary. To increase the number of trained clinical psychologists available, Health Education England has supported a 60 per cent expansion in the clinical psychology training intake over the past two years. Trainees are able to undertake specialist placements focusing on Tourette’s syndrome, in addition to Tourette’s syndrome featuring as part of the broader neuropsychology curriculum. For those who require more detailed specialist support, there are a small number of recognised services with focused multidisciplinary teams assessing and supporting children with tics, Tourette’s syndrome and motor stereotypies and their families. The Department of Health and Social Care funds research into conditions through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition. Since 2018, £2.1 million has been invested into research on Tourette’s syndrome through NIHR’s research programmes. Department of Health and Social Care
Fund improved support for people with communication and swallowing needs
We want the Government to improve the lives of people of all ages with communication and swallowing needs by ensuring they are able to access the speech and language therapy that they and their families and carers need.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/587872
Government Response:
We welcome the recent report “Speech and language therapy during and beyond COVID-19” by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and its recommendations.
We are undertaking the biggest nursing, midwifery, and Allied Health Professional recruitment drive in decades, which includes recruitment of speech and language therapists. In 2020 there were 620 acceptances to speech and language therapy programmes in England, an increase of 28% on 2019.
On 23 November 2020 we published a Wellbeing and Mental Health Support Plan for COVID-19, setting out the steps we have taken to strengthen the support available for people who are struggling, including those with communication and swallowing needs. With respect to speech and language therapies specifically for children and young people, last summer NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I) published guidance making clear that essential services provided in the community, including therapies, should be restarted for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged up to 25 years who have an Education Health and Care Plan in place or who are going through an assessment for one. Department of Health and Social Care
Ban Applied Behavioural Analysis (sometimes referred to as “conversion therapy”) for autistic people.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/578616
More funding for local authorities to assess and support Autistic children
What is needed are social workers specialised in Children with disabilities and not safeguarding social workers. Two different assessments and this needs to be recognised.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/585737
Introduce a statutory Mental Health Policy to schools in England
Introduce a specific policy for schools which follows the Mental Health Act 2017. It should promote inclusion and reasonable adjustments, to ensure pupils with significant mental health needs can access education regardless of their limitations.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/584017
Fund free NHS testing for adults for Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia
Allow all people to be tested for free for Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia via the NHS by specialists.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/596236
Reform school behaviour policies to prioritise wellbeing and inclusion
We want the Government to recognise the need for a system-wide review and redevelopment of school behaviour policies, support and training, to benefit young people in schools; aiming to complement and extend the DfE guidance on supporting emotional wellbeing and inclusion.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/594653
Government funding required for an autism training support scheme
To Create a scheme for autistic adults and adults with learning difficulties, to break the stigma around adults with learning difficulties, such as autism. As 80% of us are facing poverty and unemployment, as the education system struggle to support those with learning and educational needs.
Require School SENCOs to be fully qualified for the role
School senco’s to be qualified before they take the role and they must have done in depth training on special educational needs. The current role can be filled by a person not qualified for the role and they have 3 years to qualify.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/591092
Ensure mental health assessments for children are within 4 weeks of GP referral
The Government should make it a requirement for all NHS Trusts to ensure that the mental health needs of children are assessed within 4 weeks of a referral by a GP, and provide the necessary funding to create capacity for this.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/588224
More Funding For SEN Children To Access Appropriate School Provisions
Make more funding available for schools and local authorities to offer better provisions for SEN children, especially those who do not fit the criteria for special needs EMS/mainstream schools.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/584129
Create an emergency fund for ASD (autism) & ADHD assessments
The Government should create an emergency fund to deal with waiting lists for autism & ADHD assessments for children AND adults.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/589677
Review and fund improved diagnosis and treatment of ADHD/ASD
-Increase funding for mental health and neurodivergency services to improve services and reduce waiting times to under 6 months
-Fund improved training for MH professionals on how to accurately identify and diagnose neurodivergency.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/593604
Increase awareness of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in UK schools
Make sure that schools are more aware, and properly educated, about JIA, how it affects a child and their families, as well as the impact this can have on a child’s mental health. JIA happens when the immune system attacks the lining of the joints causing the joints and other organs to swell.
