Outline the legal entitlement of disabled children and young people for equality of treatment and the principles of working inclusively

*Removing of or helping to overcome barriers for children where these already exist;
*Being alert to the early signs of needs that could lead to later difficulties, and responding quickly and appropriately, involving other agencies as necessary;
*Stretching and challenging all children.

The Education Act 1996 requires schools and local education authorities to have regard to guidance on the statutory framework for inclusion. The separate guidance “Inclusive Childcare/Schooling – Children with Special Educational Needs” provides advice on the practical operation of the framework of the legal entitlement of disabled children and young people for equality of treatment and the principles of working inclusively placing the child or young person in the centre. It gives examples of the reasonable steps that maintained schools could consider taking to ensure that the inclusion of a child with a statement of special educational needs in a mainstream school is not incompatible with the efficient education of other children.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 amends the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to prohibit all schools from discriminating against disabled children in their admissions arrangements, in the education and associated services provided by the setting or school in relation to exclusions from the setting or school. The reasonable adjustments duty on schools does not require the provision of auxiliary aids and services or the removal or alteration of physical features continue to be taken within the SEN framework.

From September 2002, settings and schools are required not to treat disabled pupils less favourably for a reason relating to their disability and to take reasonable steps to ensure that they are not placed at a disadvantage to those who are not disabled. Schools are also required, since September 2002, to plan and make progress in improving accessibility for disabled pupils to schools’ premises and to the curriculum, and to improve the delivery of written information in an accessible way to disabled Children or pupils.