How Think Tanks Manipulate Families to Justify Cutting SEND Support
My analysis for Special Needs Jungle exposes Policy Exchange's tactics
Policy Exchange released a report claiming "overdiagnosis" is breaking the SEND system. Behind sympathetic language lies a blueprint for dismantling children's legal protections.
My Special Needs Jungle analysis exposes three manipulation tactics:
Divide and conquer - Blame "other families" rather than underfunding
Impossible bind - Attack parents as amateurs while demanding they become experts
False inclusion - Want success without changing exclusionary environments
With the Schools White Paper imminent, this provides cover for stripping away rights families fought to secure.
First Step to Securing Alternative Provision (even without an EHCP)
Applying for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) is the very first step towards securing an EHCP for your child. It can feel daunting — the forms, the legal references, and the pressure of “getting it right.” But here’s the good news: the law is clear. Any parent, carer, or young person has the right to request an assessment directly from their Local Authority. You don’t need a school’s permission, and you don’t need to have everything figured out before you start.
First Step to an EHCP: How to Request an EHC Needs Assessment
Applying for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) is the very first step towards securing an EHCP for your child. It can feel daunting — the forms, the legal references, and the pressure of “getting it right.” But here’s the good news: the law is clear. Any parent, carer, or young person has the right to request an assessment directly from their Local Authority. You don’t need a school’s permission, and you don’t need to have everything figured out before you start.