Removing barriers to achievement: The government's strategy for special educational needs

Publication date:: Feb 2004
DCSF ref:: 0117-2004
Audience:: Deputy headteacher, Early years foundation stage practitioner, Early years leader, Education adviser, Education officer, Inclusion staff, Lead intervention teacher, SEN (special educational needs) inclusion consultant, SEN staff, SENCO, Teacher, Teaching assistant
Function:: Guidance, Leadership, Management resources, Preventing underachievement
Format:: Report, Key document

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Widespread reforms of children’s services were set out in the Green Paper ‘Excellence for All Children: Meeting Special Educational Needs’ in 1997, and developed through subsequent research and legislation. However, a number of continuing challenges were identified in the 2002 report ‘Special Education Needs – a mainstream issue’.

This document presents the government’s vision for the education of children with special education needs and disabilities. It reinforces the commitment made in the Green Paper ‘Every Child Matters’ (2003) to early intervention, inclusion, the raising of expectations and achievement, and the development of partnership networks. It identifies the weaknesses in the services offered at present, sets out objectives for improvement, and makes specific commitments for future action. The document also includes numerous case studies and summarises the findings of other relevant reports.