Frustrated parents of children with autism, who are still awaiting the publication of the Lamb Inquiry’s final report, recently had the opportunity to put questions to the report’s author, Brian Lamb.
Lamb was speaking at a lecture, hosted by national autism charity TreeHouse on 23 November 2009, where parents who are dissatisfied with the state of the current SEN system were represented by Sarah Spiller, a journalist and mother of a child with autism. Spiller highlighted some of the shortcomings of schools and local authorities who are not meeting the needs of children with SEN.
Lamb said: “Children with autism are a test to the SEN system as they present some of the biggest challenges. But this is no excuse – schools and local authorities need to be meeting these challenges. If the system is failing children with autism then the system isn’t working and needs to be changed.”
The Lamb Inquiry report, which will advise the Government on the most effective ways of increasing parental confidence in the SEN assessment process, is now several weeks overdue. While a spokesman at the Department for Children, Schools and Families was today (25/11/09) unable to provide a specific publication date, he did confirm that the final report is “imminent”.
Brian Lamb will be taking part in a live chat on TreeHouse’s online community on Friday 27 November at 2pm to talk to parents and carers about The Lamb Inquiry:
www.talkaboutautism.org.uk
