A dedicated bill on special educational needs has been passed today, after a Conservative amendment received the backing of the other three political parties in stage 2 deliberations over the Welsh Government’s Education (Wales) Bill.
The Bill, which focuses on school workforce regulation and term dates, had included a section on post-16 special educational needs, but Welsh Conservative intervention has now removed this part.
The Welsh Government has now committed to bring forward a bill specifically on special educational needs, where the issue can receive the attention to detail that it deserves.
Welsh Conservatives have consistently called for the section on special educational needs to be removed to pave the way for a more holistic and cohesive special educational needs bill supporting children and young people from birth.
Angela Burns AM, Shadow Minister for Education, said:
“I am delighted that the Welsh Government has listened to the Welsh Conservatives and agreed that an issue as complex as the needs of children with special educational needs will receive the attention it deserves.
“A dedicated bill on special educational needs will allow Assembly Members the time to take evidence to carefully draft a robust piece of legislation to help address the challenges that children with special educational needs and their families face.
“Having a child with special needs can put extreme pressures on even the most robust family.
“Welsh Labour Ministers must now set out a timetable for bringing forward a dedicated special educational needs bill to set out clearly where the responsibility for provision lies, so parents and children receive the support they need.”
