Ashworth Emma, Bray Lucy, Alghrani Amel, Byrne Seamus, Kirkby Joanna
School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK.
Faculty of Health and Social Care, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk L39 4QP, UK.
Children (Basel). 2025 Jun 23;12(7):827. doi: 10.3390/children12070827.
The provision of education, health, and social care for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England has long been criticised for its inequities and chronic underfunding. These systemic issues were further exacerbated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying restrictions, which disrupted essential services and resulted in widespread unmet needs and infringements on the rights of many children with SEND. This study aimed to use a three-phase consensus-building approach with 1353 participants across five stakeholder groups to collaboratively develop evidence-informed priorities for policy and practice. The priorities sought to help address the longstanding disparities and respond to the intensified challenges brought about by the pandemic. A total of 55 children with SEND (aged 5-16), 893 parents/carers, and 307 professionals working in SEND-related services participated in the first phase through online surveys. This was followed by semi-structured interviews with four children and young people, ten parents/carers, and 15 professionals, allowing for deeper exploration of lived experiences and priorities. The data were analysed, synthesised, and structured into five overarching areas of priority. These were subsequently discussed and refined in a series of activity-based group workshops involving 20 children with SEND, 11 parents/carers, and 38 professionals. The consensus-building process led to the identification of key priorities for both pandemic response and longer-term recovery, highlighting the responsibilities of central Government and statutory services to consider and meet the needs of children with SEND. These priorities are framed within a children's rights context and considered against the rights and duties set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). Priorities include protecting and promoting children with SEND's rights to (1) play, socialise, and be part of a community, (2) receive support for their social and emotional wellbeing and mental health, (3) feel safe, belong, and learn in school, (4) "access health and social care services and therapies", and (5) receive support for their parents/carers and families. Together, they highlight the urgent need for structural reform to ensure that children with SEND receive the support they are entitled to-not only in times of crisis but as a matter of routine practice and policy.
长期以来，英国为有特殊教育需求和残疾的儿童（SEND）提供教育、医疗和社会护理的情况一直因不公平和长期资金不足而受到批评。2019冠状病毒病疫情的爆发以及随之而来的限制措施进一步加剧了这些系统性问题，这些措施扰乱了基本服务，导致广泛的需求未得到满足，许多有特殊教育需求和残疾的儿童的权利受到侵犯。本研究旨在采用三阶段共识构建方法，与五个利益相关者群体的1353名参与者合作，共同制定基于证据的政策和实践优先事项。这些优先事项旨在帮助解决长期存在的差距，并应对疫情带来的加剧挑战。共有55名有特殊教育需求和残疾的儿童（5至16岁）、893名家长/照顾者以及307名从事特殊教育需求和残疾相关服务的专业人员通过在线调查参与了第一阶段。随后，对4名儿童和青少年、10名家长/照顾者以及15名专业人员进行了半结构化访谈，以便更深入地探讨生活经历和优先事项。对数据进行了分析、综合，并归纳为五个总体优先领域。随后，在一系列基于活动的小组研讨会上对这些领域进行了讨论和完善，参与研讨会的有20名有特殊教育需求和残疾的儿童、11名家长/照顾者以及38名专业人员。共识构建过程确定了应对疫情和长期恢复的关键优先事项，强调了中央政府和法定服务机构考虑并满足有特殊教育需求和残疾儿童需求的责任。这些优先事项是在儿童权利背景下制定的，并参照了《联合国儿童权利公约》（1989年）规定的权利和义务。优先事项包括保护和促进有特殊教育需求和残疾的儿童享有以下权利：（1）玩耍、社交并融入社区；（2）在社交和情感福祉以及心理健康方面获得支持；（3）在学校感到安全、有归属感并能够学习；（4）“获得医疗和社会护理服务及治疗”；（5）其家长/照顾者和家庭获得支持。这些优先事项共同凸显了进行结构性改革的迫切需要，以确保有特殊教育需求和残疾的儿童不仅在危机时期，而且在日常实践和政策中都能获得他们应得的支持。
