Campaigns

Channel 4 report on delegated funding to schools
Last night 26/11 Channel 4 news had an 8 minute report on delegated funding to schools. If they get a large enough response, they will consider doing a 'Dispatches' programme on delegated funding. So please respond to news@channel4.com - here is the link to the above item.

EDCM campaign
As you may know, EDCM is launching a new Private Members Bill to give families with disabled children a legal right to short break care. More information about the Disabled Children (Family Support) Bill 2007 can be found at www.edcm.org.uk/righttobreaks

DCSF survey
The government is carrying out a survey into children's services and how they should be improved. They are inviting contributions from anyone who would like to express their views, including parents and children and young people themselves. To find out more and contribute your views, perhaps with specific reference to SLI, go to www.dcsf.gov.uk/timetotalk.

John Bercow, MP makes parliamentary challenge
John Bercow MP, a vice-president of Afasic and parent of a child with a speech and language impairment, challenged the new Minister for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, about apparent threats to speech and language units in the House of Commons on Thursday, July 26th, 2007. In reply, the Minister assured him that LEAs must carry out full consultations, in accordance with statutory duties, before closing units, and undertook to ensure that this happened and monitor language unit provision across the country.

To read the exchange in full, click here.

For more information about threats to language units, see Afasic's report on this issue. Afasic has recently heard of more language units at risk of closure and we would urge any other parents or professionals with concerns to contact us.

Petition for Laleham Gap School
A petition was launched to save the threatened pre-school section of Laleham Gap school, a special school in Kent for children with severe speech and language impairments and autistic spectrum disorders. The school, and particularly the pre-school section, provides an excellent example of what effective early intervention can achieve. The petition has now closed and has received a government response.

Every Disabled Child Matters campaign
The Every Disabled Child Matters campaign is fighting for rights and justice for every disabled child. The campaign has reached its target with 25,000 supporters signing up. You can still join the campaign at http://www.edcm.org.uk, and ask everyone you know to do the same. Thank you for your help.

Early Day Motions
The early day motion (EDM) is a much-used device to publicise the views of individual Members of Parliament, and to demonstrate the extent of support among MPs for a particular cause or point of view. Even if an EDM does not attract wide national press coverage it may well receive attention locally or regionally.

John Bercow, MP has put forward two EDMs relating to speech and language impairments in children and young offenders. You can find the Early Day Motions below:

1345 CHILDREN WITH SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES

1292 COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES AND YOUNG OFFENDERS

Services for SEN children petition

An e-petition has been launched asking the Prime Minister to 'recognise that many children with special needs are not getting the vital services that they require and that PCTs and LEAs should be held accountable for not providing the support these children need to reach their full potential'. The petition is now closed but gathered 1,604 signatures.

SEN policy petition

Please consider signing up to this petition urging the government to review its SEN policy, as recommended by the House of Commons Education and Skills select committee, and make provision for a system of SEN that is fit for purpose.

Physical restraint in schools

Afasic member, Michelle Chambers, has launched a website to campaign for statutory guidance on the use of physical restraint in schools, as a result of her daughter's unhappy experience. Please read about her story and consider signing up to Michelle's campaign. The website link is www.think1098.com.

Every Disabled Child Matters campaign
A campaign has been launched by four leading organisations in the field to ensure that disabled children and their families receive the services they need. Please read about the campaign and sign up to support it here: www.edcm.org.uk.

Threats to Statements
In recent months, Afasic has heard reports that a number of LEAs are planning to delegate funding attached to (some) statements to schools, and in some cases, discontinue or cease to issue statements for many children in mainstream schools. We are very concerned about the potential impact of this on children with speech and language impairments and are now appealing to our members and supporters to send us (or supply internet links to) any policies or consultation documents containing any such plans.

We would also like to encourage you to take action if you are affected by this in your local area. We include a sample letter (link below) you can use to complain to the DfES if your LEA is proposing to discontinue (some) statements. Please feel free to adapt the letter to suit your individual circumstances. If you do send a letter of complaint, please send us a copy. If we are able to amass enough evidence, we will ourselves pursue a complaint with the DfES. Please contact us if you would like any futher information about this important issue, or would like to talk to us about doing any more campaigning.

Sample Letter

Speech and Language Therapy Services in Crisis
Several news items recently have reported NHS cuts and job losses. The funding crisis prompted the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists to carry out a survey of all speech and language therapy service managers. 80% responded and their replies revealed that:

• 62% believe that they will not be able to plan for and meet future patient needs
• Half say that the standard of care they now provide is significantly lower now than last year, or even that their service is no longer viable
• 78% say their budget has been frozen or cut for the coming year
• 59% say they do not anticipate taking on newly qualified SLTs. As a result 8 out of 10 newly qualified therapists this year cannot find jobs.

Links to relevant media articles in The Guardian and Therapy Weekly.

Afasic is horrified by these findings. A service that was already over-stretched and unable to meet the needs of many children who needed therapy is now on the verge of becoming completely unsustainable.

Listed below are links to a number of letters Afasic has sent to government ministers, the Children's Commissioner for England, and newspapers and journals that have covered the issue.

DfES letter - sent to Alan Johnson, Beverley Hughes and Lord Adonis
DH letter - sent to Ivan Lewis and Patricia Hewitt
Media letter - sent to newspapers and journals
Children's Commissioner letter

Reponses to Afasic letters
Office of Ivan Lewis, DH
Yvonne Meakin, Public Communications Unit, DfES

We would urge all parents and supporters who are concerned by this issue to write to their MPs and Children's Commissioner to draw their attention to the way that so many children are being failed. Please feel free to make use of the contents of these letters and information in this introduction.

If you are aware of cases of children who are unable to access speech and language therapy, and would like to carry out more intensive lobbying on a local level, please contact the Afasic office for more help.

To find contact details for your MP, click here (www.locata.co.uk/commons)

Contact details for the Children's Commissioner:
Website: www.childrenscommissioner.org
E-mail: info.request@childrenscommissioner.org
Post: Office of the Children's Commissioner, 1 London Bridge, London SE1 9BG

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Registered charity no. 1045617
Copies may be made provided the source and date are quoted and the content is unchanged.