Following comments from Conservative Councillors at the Overview and Scrutiny Meeting for Children and Young People on the 25^th January, the Warwickshire County Council Labour Group have made the following statement:

“Families we have spoken with over the past few days are distressed and angry about some comments made by Conservative councillors in a recent County Council meeting.

“Parents were upset to hear themselves, and schools, criticised for not applying enough ‘firm discipline’.  There were comments about parents colluding on support group websites to obtain resources for their children by exaggerating their needs.  Questioning the growth in identification of some special educational needs, one councillor asked, ‘Is it something in the water?’ The same councillor stated that these children just weren’t about when he was at school.

“Labour councillors understand why parents and carers are questioning the trust they put in councillors to act wisely on behalf of their children, if this is the level of understanding they display.

“We believe every child has the right to an effective education, with a curriculum and environment best suited to help this happen.  Some children need specialist provision, which can only be found in specialist settings. Most will be learning along with their peers in mainstream schools.  It’s true that some types of SEN are identified more often now, and there are complex reasons for this.  This should make us more determined to build up relationships between families, schools and the council, not make disparaging remarks which make working together even more difficult.”