SCN0043
Written evidence from Dr Sarah Greaves
- I have two children with additional needs – one with dyslexia and one with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Due to the current SEND provision and the waiting times for local council funded assessments the diagnosis has taken a significant time, and then the provision is often lacking. Councils are actively stating to schools to ‘not apply’ for an EHCP for children due to the funding crisis – this means mine, and other children, are not getting the funding or support they need.
- I have set up a support group for local parents and it is clear that this is not an uncommon situation – there are many parents of children who under past systems may well have received a statement who are now either undiagnosed or diagnosed but with no additional support.
- I personally have found the system to be complicated, frustrating and at times impenetrable – I don’t believe that mine, and other, children are deemed ‘under age expectations’ at primary age primarily due to a lack of specialist teaching which schools cannot provide as they do not have additional funds (as they cannot get EHCPs for these children).
- My local support group was set up so I can learn more about how to support my children, and it’s clear we now have a network of parents and carers to support of kids with dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia who are unable to reach their potential in the current system.
- I would strongly support a review of SEND provision in schools, training for teachers, adaptations to the National Curriculum for those with dyslexia (e.g. the high reliance on spelling in year 6 SATS for top scores) and more funding either directly to schools or via councils and the EHCP.
April 2018