A Lichfield dyslexia expert has warned parents about the impact of changes to education rules.
Dr Neville Brown, principal of Maple Hayes Dyslexia School, made his comments after a Government proposal was unveiled to alter Special Education Needs (SEN) legislation.
He insisted that children could lose out and be isolated by the system if parents are not aware of the changes.
“The proposed changes are going to make what was already a difficult process for parents of dyslexic children practically impossible.
“As it stands, many parents already face long and contentious battles to get their child the lawful statement of SEN they desperately deserve,” Dr Brown said.
“This new legislation would make that process even more difficult and as a consequence, it risks condemning dyslexic children or children with any other specific learning difficulties to a lifetime of frustration and underachievement in mainstream schools that have no provision to properly educate them.
“I would encourage parents of children with SEN to begin lobbying their local MPs to ensure this Bill does not get passed in Parliament.”
UShould the Bill be passed in parliament, there is a concern that children whose SEN conditions are not obvious at birth could be overlooked, leaving them struggling in mainstream schools when dedicated specialist teaching is required.
Currently, pupils who would benefit from being educated in this way initially have to undergo an assessment to see if they require a statement of SEN. However, under the new legislation, assessments would only occur only where a local authority deemed it necessary unless the need is evident from birth, meaning parents and schools would no longer have the power to request an assessment, as they can now.
Dr Brown added: “This is an outrage as in most cases dyslexia only becomes apparent in a learning environment, when children begin to read and write. It is a misguided and poorly considered Bill that would leave hundreds of thousands of children with SEN completely adrift.”
