On Monday the Government released the SEND white paper, aiming to improve support for children with special educational needs. Key proposals include earlier identification, consistent mainstream support, and the introduction of Inclusion Support Plans. However, concerns about the practicality of these reforms and the overall educational culture persist, prompting further reflection on systemic changes.
Belonging
Reforming for Belonging
Yesterday the Government published its SEND white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving.[i] As a parent of children with special educational needs, I have lived the exhaustion of fighting for provision. As a pastor shaped by what I call Broken Theology, I spend much of my time thinking about who is included and who is … Continue reading Reforming for Belonging
Disabled People and the Post-Covid Church: Exiled, Cast Out or Treated with Special Care?
Covid-19 has impacted us all; there is no question about that. Whether you have suffered with the virus yourself, watched as loved ones suffer and possible die, struggled with the uncertainty and restrictions or been revitalised by the change of pace and space from other people we have all touched. In the early days of … Continue reading Disabled People and the Post-Covid Church: Exiled, Cast Out or Treated with Special Care?
Our Obligations to Our Neighbours
Four Way Faith Part Four - Out: Our Obligations to Our Neighbours. When someone cries out “I can’t breathe” we are called to listen, to learn and to be the ones who play our part in bringing freedom and life where there is suffocation and death. This applies across race, gender, age, sex, disability, martial or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity. We must stand alongside those whose voice gets shut out and until justice rolls down like water and righteousness life an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24) we must not stay silent because there can be no peace where there is no justice.
What is the Face of the UK Church to Adults with Disabilities? (A Critical Investigation)
A dissertation submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Master of Arts in Mission (Unpublished) in the Faculty of Humanities (Cliff College: 2020) Abstract In 2004 it became a legal requirement for reasonable adjustments to be made to public buildings, including places of worship, to make them accessible. Access is just the … Continue reading What is the Face of the UK Church to Adults with Disabilities? (A Critical Investigation)
The Broken Church 