Page 36 - SEN114 September/October 2021

SEN law
Trying to get back to normal
As we now start a third school year living with the Covid-19 pandemic, Douglas Silas summarises its impact on children and young people with SEN.
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It is now a widely held view that children and young people with SEN and Disability (SEND) have been disproportionately affected as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic (although I accept that those without SEND have also suffered greatly).
In this issue, I am going to try and summarise some things that have happened and also try to look to the future.
What happened during the first major lockdown in Spring 2020?
Although increasing concerns were being expressed from the start of the Spring term in January 2020, it was not until the last week of March 2020 when schools, colleges and other educational establishments were either closed or restricted in numbers.
Theoretically, mainstream placements were then closed to all but children and young people of key workers and children considered to be ‘vulnerable’ (including those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)). At the same time, the Government (through the Department for Education [DfE]) asked special schools to stay open.
“SEN and Disability (SEND) have been disproportionately affected”
However, practically, many children and young people with SEN were not able to attend and were unable to access online learning that was provided. Also, many parents (particularly of children with EHCPs), chose not to send them to school, due to safety or educational concerns.
Paradoxically, there were then reports of some children and young people with SEN being less anxious than before, due to there being no pressure on them to be at school or college. At the same time, appeals to the SEND Tribunal (which had been rising significantly in previous years) were the first to move successfully to video hearings.
Oh, and Joe Wicks became a household name with his online PE classes to try to help children stay active!
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