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The study researched parent's experiences of The Children and Families Act 2014 in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire. A sample of parents using KIDS Services in the area were surveyed by questionnaire, both before and after the legislation came into force. Nearly half of the parents were aware of a change in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) legislation; and a third noticed a change in support for their child. Professionals are now more involved in SEND early identification, and most SEND needs were identified at or before the early year stage. The majority of parents thought that the support for their child was either always or sometimes well coordinated. Parents generally felt more involved in the process since the Act, and perceived improvements in educational support. Professional support for parents at diagnosis had increased over the studies, and educational, health and social care needs were generally being met. However, some parents thought that Information, communication and school support needed to improve, and that the voluntary sector was highly regarded. Implications in relation to practice were also made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent review of educational provision for children with special educational needs by the House of Commons Education and Skills Committee in 2006 singled out children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) as being in need of special attention and highlighted the frustration felt by parents. One implication is that parents of children with ASD find it disproportionately difficult to obtain appropriate educational provision for their children compared with families with children with other disabilities. This paper compares the views of parents of children with (n = 66) and without (n = 59) ASD about educational provision across mainstream and special schools from an online survey in the United Kingdom. Results show that whilst there are some differences in experiences between groups of parents (ASD versus non-ASD), their views are more similar than different both in relation to positive aspects of provision as well as areas for improvement. A majority of parents in both groups were mostly satisfied with their child's current educational provision, although concerns about transitions between and beyond schools were common to both groups. There was no evidence to suggest that disability legislation in the United Kingdom (Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - Part IV) had made a significant impact on parents, either in informational or practical terms. Improvements in educational provision need to support all children with special educational needs or disabilities rather than singling out a group of children with particular needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers who work with families and children are often unaware of the legal protections afforded to educational experiences for children, particularly to children with disabilities. Yet, all social workers, regardless of their practice setting, should be aware of the important educational rights to which children with disabilities and their families are entitled, as codified in the original legislation, P.L. 94-142, and its subsequent revisions. This legislation is currently entitled the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," or the "I.D.E.A." Provisions included in the I.D.E.A. are covered with which all states that receive federal educational funding are mandated to comply. Reviewed are the 13 "disabling conditions" that allow for students to qualify to receive special educational services, as long as one of the conditions is adversely impacting their educational success. It concludes with recommendations for social work advocacy regarding this legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports the recent case laws. R.(on the application of LH and another) v. London Borough of Lambeth on assessment of a case plan for a child with disabilities, R. (on the application of London Borough of Havering) v. Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal on the special education needs of a child suffering from developmental delay, and R. (Parents For Legal Action Ltd) v. Northumberl and County Council regarding proper procedures while changing a state educational system.

Through The Rehabilitation Act, the Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (The Tech Act), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the federal government broadened the states' roles in increasing awareness and accessibility of assistive technology (AT) devices and services to children with disabilities. As a member of the AT team, the occupational therapy practitioner plays an integral role in selecting the most appropriate device, and working with parents and other professionals to integrate the device into a child's daily routines. This literature review presents a summary of available information on AT materials and strategies that assist infants, toddlers, and school-aged children with disabilities. We begin with a brief look at legislation affecting the provision of AT. Issues concerning the use of Electronic Aides of Daily Living (EADL), and strategies for successful manipulation are presented; followed by a discussion of play and leisure, mobility, and communication devices. Finally, we conclude with a discussion concerning the importance of measuring the effectiveness of AT devices and services. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Examines legislation on public schooling of handicapped preschool children in the United States. Historical factors contributing to legislation on early school for the handicapped; Identification of children with special needs; Determination of the context of services; Guidelines for implementing early educational programs for handicapped preschoolers.

Earlier legislation mandated an appropriate education for all handicapped children and prescribed both an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). While these legislative acts seemed to indicate the need for family therapy principles, the most recent legislation gives further emphasis to family and community services. This article analyzes Public Law 101-476, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1990, and sets forth postulates for the involvement of the family therapist in the education of children with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines political support for brain dysfunction which is culminating in the Children With Learning Disabilities Act of 1969 in the U.S. The act among other things, added learning disability to the list of educational abnormalities recognized by the federal government and authorize federal expenditures for research and pilot school programmes. There were two broad interpretations of the basic brain dysfunction model. The first of these was learning disability, which de-emphasized neuropathology and provided a relatively optimistic prognosis. Special educators and some researches urging this orientation used it to press for a less physiological and more educational approach to educational abnormality, intended to give them more independent control over the operation of special education categories and programmes and through this strengthen the power of educators to define normality and abnormality, as well as increase the demand for learning disability specialists. The other interpretation of the model, sociogenic brain damage, pointed to social and especially family factors as significant causes and its attention to neurostructural damage and non-development carried a distinctly pessimistic prognosis.

Focuses on areas of conflict related to the proposed implementation of the Public Law 94-142 (P.L. 94-142) which is the Education for All Handicapped Children Act signed by U.S. President Gerald Ford on November 29, 1975. Use of P.L. 94-142 for development of federal educational policy; Problems arising from the implementation of P.L. 94-142; Impact of P.L. 94-142 on teachers.

Comments on the United States' Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 and teacher unions. Potential for conflict; Case for labor sensitized policy design; Potential for creative policy design.

Federal legislation mandates an appropriate education for handicapped children. Recent legislative amendments have created a clear-cut prescription for each child's having an Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP), which necessitates family therapy principles. This article reviews the major legislative acts and amendments and legal case rulings that have defined the criteria for an "appropriate" education. The importance of avoiding litigation and conflicts between parents and the school serves as a springboard into analysis of the options for utilizing family therapy ideas for school-based decision making. While it is deemed ideal to have a school professional introduce family therapy ideas, it is recognized that there may be suspicion of conflict of interest and subjectivity; moreover, it is pointed out that school psychologists, counselors, and social workers seldom receive training in family systems or therapy, and virtually never in negotiation and mediation. Recommendations are made for usage of a consulting family therapist and for family therapy training for school personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]