Over the last year, myths about the Motability scheme have spread online and in the right wing media. Now, some of it is government policy.  In today’s Guardian, I set about finding the facts and why the idea of “free cars for the disabled” has taken hold. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

📈 #IFSSatStat: The number of children in the UK is expected to decline by about 7% or 800,000 between 2025 and 2035. These declines are expected to be fastest in Scotland (8%), Wales (10%) and Northern Ireland (15%).

THREAD: SEND costs to hit central government budgets The cost of SEND support will shift entirely onto central government from 2028, and the OBR warns the DfE has no plan for how to pay for it, according to the OBR's Economic and fiscal outlook, published in error.

🎉The Department is delighted to announce the second public seminar of Michaelmas term: Solving the SEND Crisis: a public seminar about the Education Select Committee report. Speaker: Helen Hayes MP 📅3 Dec ⌚5pm – 6.30pm 🏢Dept of Education and MS Teams Register now 👉 shorturl.at/eJnJR

"Despite widespread claims linking gut health to autism spectrum disorder, a comprehensive analysis published in the journal Neuron has found no scientific evidence supporting the hypothesis that the gut microbiome causally contributes to autism."

In other news look at councils projected cumulative deficit just on special needs costs over the next few years. Yikes.

Open justice is supposed to enhance public trust + confidence in the justice system - but in this case it had the opposite effect. What does the Supreme Court need to do differently to make sure COP observers have a better experience next time? openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/11/10/w...

NEW POST: @catrionamoore.bsky.social dissects a new report from the @nao.org.uk that tells the Government to improve its data on schools and SEND transport—and ensure any coming changes don't make it harder for disabled children to attend: www.specialneedsjungle.com/n...

New transport survey for 16-19 year olds has launched! 📝 Complete the survey here 👉 https://f.mtr.cool/zioiykibzm Read more here 👉 https://f.mtr.cool/zzekogukbq

“We need to take the time to get [SEND reform] right and to ensure we are designing a system which is protected against unintended consequences.” Minister of State for Children & Families, July 2021

If you’re a parent of a young person with #SEND aged 16-19 and in receipt of home to school transport, please take a moment to fill in this short survey. Contact particularly wish to hear from families who have been refused transport. Thank you. contact.org.uk/about-contac...

Wow: Helen Hayes, committee chair, says: "All of us, as constituency MPs, see children not being offered places at schools of their choice, because of their additional needs." That's a massive criticism of the schools system.

Around 80% of children's homes are run by for-profit companies, but there is uncertainty if the Human Rights Act always applies to them. This week Peers debated this and we provided a detailed briefing. [1/3]

Cerebra’s response to the LGA/ISOS report on ‘The future of home to school transport’ cerebra.org.uk/legal-rights...

@captaink77.bsky.social www.specialneedsjungle.com/why-the-dfes...

Phenomenal journalism investigating the FII crisis for families with disabled, ill & vulnerable children by Emily Dugan. We know this is negatively impacting #LongCovid families & urgent change is needed to the @rcpch.bsky.social FII guidelines. 🧵1/7 TW 🗞️🖇️ tinyurl.com/bdcrsxrj

Big news: Guardian story and multi-signatory letter about fears about how the govt will follow the disability benefits fiasco: with drastic moves on the educational rights of children & young people with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities 1/2 www.theguardian.com/education/20...

NEW POST: @captaink77.bsky.social deconstructs the new #EHCP figures for 2025 that show a 10.9% annual increase but a 22.5% rise for pupils “educated elsewhere” than in schools. Plus, check out our annual LA Hall of Shame and infographics @tanialt.bsky.social www.specialneedsjungle.com/e...

The thing with the disabled people of the future is they can't write to their MP by Tuesday. But if this goes through, one day they will.

I wrote this. I kind of had to. maybeimamazed.substack.com/p/is-the-gov...

Here's my new article on mortality due to Fabricated or Induced Illness in England. It challenges the exaggeration of mortality in procedures which say up to 10% die and found no deaths in England over a 12 year period. Please rt academic.oup.com/bjsw/advance...

NEW POST: Is a new legal framework for disabled children’s social care necessary? An eminent Baroness says no. But institutionalised parent-blaming shows it really is, say Professor Luke Clements and Ana Laura Aiello of @lawatleeds.bsky.social www.specialneedsjungle.com/b...

"This is the largest redistribution from poor to rich in American history."

Breaking: Officials are considering shaking up the system of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) that would likely lead to a narrowing or new structure of support as part of major SEND reforms, a government adviser has said schoolsweek.co.uk/ehcp-shake-u...

Why Baroness Hale is wrong to resist the Law Commission’s proposals to take disabled children out of the Children Act 1989: Prof Luke Clements and Dr Ana Aiello cerebra.org.uk/legal-rights...

From next month until the summer holidays, I'll be writing an article a week for Schools Week - so if you know of anything I should be looking at in relation to schools, especially SEND, give me a shout. My DMs are open

On SNJ Today: Continence services for disabled children and young people are leaving families in a "horrendous situation". A new report highlights the shameful state of "a basic human right" across England, Wales and Scotland www.specialneedsjungle.com/s...

At the SEN Law Conference yesterday Judge Jane McConnell was talking in fairly apocalyptic terms about the SEND system. Another huge rise in appeals. A new white paper forthcoming. Do we keep the existing rights-based system or row back? Look to the Welsh system as a possible model for the future…

@ris-law.bsky.social's Alex Rook and Rosie Campbell are delivering a free webinar on behalf of @babicmorg.bsky.social on 18 March between 12pm-1pm during #NutritionandHydrationWeek, exploring the complex issue of capacity to make informed choices about diet #mentalcapacity 1/2

"the very best" - is a (repeated distortion) of the legal position by the councillor. Tribunals stand in the local authority's shoes and remake the decision - that is to decide what is a suitable education for a child, no more. Nothing to do with "the very best".

Cerebra’s response to the Law Commission’s consultation on disabled children’s social care law: cerebra.org.uk/legal-rights...

New Cerebra report by Prof Luke Clements and Dr Ana Aiello on the lack of availability of paediatric continence products and how this affects families cerebra.org.uk/research/ina...

NEW: How many children are ever in need up to age 18? DfE statistics show that on 31st March 2023, 3.4% of children aged 0-17 were defined as in need. But how many children are ever in need up to age 18? ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/02/how-...