Why change is needed – and how you’re helping to make that happen

In her blog, Lily Rose, Director of External Affairs at RSBC, talks about the challenges that Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision faces, and how RSBC is working to influence policy to improve support for children and young people with vision impairment.

If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you share the same belief we do: that every blind child should have the chance to realise their potential. 

But for many of the families we speak to, the barriers they face are all too familiar. Long waiting times to get support; problems in securing an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that accurately reflects their needs; and academic settings that don’t fully understand the adaptations their child needs to learn and thrive.

And, when that support isn’t there, the impact is huge. 

50% of the young people we welcome through the doors of RSBC Dorton College have experienced at least one or more failed previous placement. Young people who have had to move from one school or college to another because the support they’ve needed hasn’t been there. Each time, it chips away at their confidence a little bit more.

Most of those past attempts will have failed because the student has been given cheaper or less frequent support to try and save costs for their local authority. And when that support doesn’t give them what they actually need in order to learn effectively, it’s not just heartbreaking for the young person – it ends up costing more in the long run.

The Department for Education recently stated that the ‘high needs’ budget for SEND has seen an 87% increase in the past 6 years, but they haven't seen any discernible improvement in outcomes. Clearly costs are important. But the value of getting it right first time is often overlooked.

We’re immensely proud of RSBC’s hybrid education model, which blends the best of mainstream education with specialist support for blind and partially sighted students. They do better academically, socially, and emotionally when we apply our ‘just enough support’ ethos and give them what they need, as individuals, to learn. We see them grow in confidence each year, make friends, and achieve their goals, because they get what every young person deserves: the support they need, delivered early, by people who understand them.

So what? Everyone knows the system isn’t working, and the Government has promised reform. Over the last few months, we've been watching closely as Parliament’s Education Committee has asked teachers, experts, young people and senior government officials how they might solve the crisis in SEND. The Department for Education has a whitepaper due in the Autumn to lay out what potential changes might look like. But while that thinking continues, policymakers will need to consider what’s already working and hear directly from children and families as to what good looks like. 

That’s why at RSBC we’ve shared our recommendations with the Education Committee, and we’re actively seeking meetings with ministers and policymakers to highlight the value of our model, and others, across the sector. RSBC has helped to write an open letter to the Secretary of State for Education, which has been signed by leaders from 20 other vision impairment charities, including Guide Dogs and RNIB. We’ve also personally made contact and started conversations with senior government officials in the Department for Education. In September, we will be attending the Labour Party Conference to highlight the opportunities that exist to get it right for our community. 

What comes next? Well, we don’t know just yet. We know transforming a system that’s under strain won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight. But the solutions are out there. 

And this is where you come in. Your support matters. The future of the SEND system affects all of us. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, a supporter, or know someone with a vision impairment, you matter, and your support has power. If you believe every child deserves a fair start, please keep standing with us as part of our community. 

No family should have to bear the uncertainty of not knowing when they’ll receive the support they need. No child should have an EHCP that isn’t suitable for their needs. And educational establishments should have the adaptations in place that help level the playing field for young blind and partially sighted people. Please amplify our messages on social media, contact your local MP, or donate what you can to help us continue to deliver our services.

However you're supporting us - thank you. Together, we're working towards a future that truly sees and values every child.