- 94% of parents are worried about the future of their deaf child’s education
- Poll of over 1,000 parents shows 82% feel there is not enough funding of education support for deaf children in their area.
- Results come as Education Select Committee hears new evidence from leading charities about whether 2014 reforms to special needs funding have been successful.
- However, just 5% of parents say their child’s support has improved since the 2014 reforms – 42% saying the situation has got worse.
- The National Deaf Children’s Society has warned that the funding crisis engulfing the SEND system could spiral out of control.
Nine out of ten parents of deaf children are worried about the future of their child’s support at school, a new survey has revealed.
The poll of 1,011 parents, released by the National Deaf Children’s Society, also shows that 82% feel do not feel there is enough funding for deaf children’s education in their area.
The results also reveal concerns about the effects of the Government’s major 2014 reforms of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities system.
Just 5% of parents felt the situation had improved for them and their deaf child since the reforms, with almost half saying things had got worse.
The Education Select Committee will meet again today to continue its inquiry into the reforms, hearing evidence from representatives across the disability sector.
The meeting comes as the National Deaf Children’s Society says a funding crisis is decimating the SEND system and risks spiralling out of control.
The charity says that while there is no silver bullet, there are simple, cost-effective steps that the Government must take to safeguard deaf children’s education.
Susan Daniels OBE, Chief Executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society, said:
“These results tell a heartbreaking story of the state of deaf children’s education in this country. Despite the Government’s repeated claims of record funding, this evidence shows that support is simply not getting to the deaf children who so desperately need it.
“We now find ourselves in a situation where an overwhelming majority of parents fear for the future of their deaf child’s education and this is completely unacceptable.
“There is no silver bullet to solve this crisis. However, by setting up a fund to train new specialist teachers, plugging the £4m funding gap in deaf children’s services, along with Ofsted holding councils to account more forcefully, the Government can make real, affordable improvements to deaf children’s education.
“If it doesn’t, it will be failing each and every one of them.”
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pennybsl
November 22, 2018
There is one solution – a ‘Watchdog’ directly linked to the Government, monitored by professionals who rate Deaf Education provision highly, to ensure that EVERY PENNY intended for Deaf Youngsters REACHES their ToD in charge, with nothing taken away en route. Duh.
donaldo of the wasatch
November 22, 2018
Clearly, this is an issue of extraordinary proportion. It can in no way be understated or minimized. Mom governments on this planet of earth are stressed to me social welfare needs, including in education. I accept this situation as a challenge, not a problem.
donaldo of the wasatch
November 22, 2018
Following up on my prior comment. Education in the traditional sense is the role of government. For those fabulously rich, they have their private educational paths. A vast majority do not. There is not enough rich folks on this planet who’s wealth is in equity, not cash. That is pivotal. We spend a lot of revenue teaching the children. I suggest an additional venue, teaching the parents. Research has shown that that the family circle is just as effective in rehabilitation, when sufficiently trained, to do the same rehabilitate services that the government/professionals do.
I will say this, and it will offend many, teaching children to be DEAF in a cultural setting, is finished. You can talk about all the bigotry and prejudices and it is there. We need to teach deaf children to be effective conflict resolvers and their parents too. I have seen way too often the whiners blaming and shaming of others on this site. That is old school and wrong. So whether it BSL, ASL, ESL, or simply speech therapy – that is not education. Education is deep and wlde, not a single linear approach. Raising traditional culturally deaf children is frightfully and horribly expensive and consigns them to a very narrow pathway to a very limited outcome.
The screed of cultural genocide needs to be eliminated. The traditional deaf cultural has to adapt or it will disappear like the Dodo birds of the South Pacific. Deaf/deaf children and adults need to become outstanding communications in the science and arts of communication. They need to become mentor of not just other deaf individuals, but also for and to those that are not.
The biggest challenges and opportunities are in our inventory of attitudes. The shift must be attitudinal. Our actions and behaviors must evolve. I have been deaf for as long as I can remember. My family pursued a LSL approach for for me over 60 years ago. That journey was in America under Dr. Ciwa Griffiths who studied under her legendary mentor Edith Whetten??? in London, England in the early 1950’s. Though I faced discrimination, prejudices and a lot of ignorance, we won. My opportunities at age 67 is still unlimited. I broke so many barriers. I established so many possibilities for peers and generations behind me. It was exhilarating and wonderful. I was a wunderkind, and it was wonderful fun. Sure there were ugly moments, but not could stop me. Sticks and stones can break our body, but words can either lift or destroy our soul. Our choice. Speech Therapy alone and and any form of sign language will not improve your outcomes. That is an absolute. Today is a day of gratitude in America. I am very grateful for all that I have and do not morn the things that I could not have.
donaldo of the wasatch
November 22, 2018
To the moderators, Mom is Most, me is meet in the first post. Please correct.