NEW government guidelines aim to help teachers eliminate the bullying of disabled children, described by the Education Secretary, Ed Balls, as “the cruellest expression of cowardice”. He was speaking at a conference, Aiming High for Disabled Children, last week.
The guidelines come in a package of new measures which sets out the core services that should be provided for disabled children and their families. Figures include £370 million to be spent on short breaks; £35 million on better childcare; £19 million on transition support as young people grow up; and £5 million on parent forums.
The anti-bullying advice identifies the isolation suffered by many children with special educational needs (SEN), and the difficulties they may have in understanding the social interaction around bullying.
A designated member of staff could be appointed to look out for the child, and strategies such as “secret signals” developed, so that he or she did not have to draw attention to themselves, the guidelines suggest.
Mr Balls quoted from a survey last year from the charity Mencap, which suggested that children and young people with learning disabilities were far more likely than their peers to face bullying. It revealed that 82 per cent of them were bullied, and 79 per cent were frightened to leave their house. This was “utterly deplorable”, he said.
The minister described the one-in-five children with special educational needs, and the half a million with a disability, as a large minority who needed support. “Singling out a child because they are different is unacceptable and wrong. We all need to look beyond the disability and see the young person,” he told the conference.
The Children’s Society welcomed the guidelines. Chris Osborne, its policy adviser on disability, said that, because of bullying, many disabled children and young people were unable to feel safe and enjoy their education. “We hope every school now puts disability-related bullying at the front of their anti-bullying work,” he said.
Teachers could promote disability awareness through PHSE, citizenship, and other areas of the curriculum, he said. “Helping children understand why someone may act or communicate differently really can prevent bullying, and enable children to support their disabled peers.”
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