A new report by the disability charity Scope, That Kind of Life, reveals that disabled young people with high support needs are still being excluded from society. Young people report major failings in the very services which are aimed at providing them with a better quality of life. Key issues highlighted are isolation, lack of control, not being listened to, feelings of being unsafe and the denial of opportunities to make a contribution to their own communities. They also point out that there are significant differences between what social exclusion means to the Government and what it really means to young people themselves. Paul Gemmill, director of policy at the Disability Rights Commission (DRC), said the report highlights many of the concerns that the DRC was already aware of. Gemmill says that cost is often used as a way of denying choice but argues that careful consideration of all the options can result in a much more successful outcome without putting an extra burden on overstretched budgets.
Community Care, September 6, 2001.

A ground-breaking project in west Wales aims to help young people with autism by providing technology links between schools. The goal is to encourage the pupils to communicate more widely via structured lessons plans using video-conferencing, email and film. The first link is already being established between the autistic centre and special educational needs department at Pembroke Secondary School and the infant and junior autistic units at nearby Pembroke Dock Community School. More than 50 youngsters are likely to be involved in the first stage of the scheme. The project is innovative because it has scope to improve communication skills at the same time as helping young people feel part of the community by getting closer to other schools and the outside world. The inability to deal with new people causes major problems for autistic children when they move to secondary school.
The Guardian, September 11, 2001.

Twelve-year-old schoolboy Marc Powell, who is visually impaired, cannot do his schoolwork properly because no one will carry his computer to lessons for him. Mark from Halewood Village, Liverpool, spent much of his summer holiday learning how to use the specially adapted laptop and printer but he has been told that his support workers at his new school, Halewood Comprehensive, will not carry the equipment. As the youngster needs the laptop and printer in most classes, he is making as many as six trips across the school everyday. His father, Terry, claims the refusal is the latest round of a three-year battle with Knowsley education officials over Marc’s schooling. A spokeswoman for Knowsley Council said: ‘We appreciate he should not have to carry it, but we are just putting our heads together to find out what’s gone wrong and how we can put it right.’
Daily Post (Liverpool), September 20, 2001.

The controversial move to accommodate special needs pupils in mainstream education has split the Labour Party in Aberdeen. The row between members has been sparked by plans to move Carden School pupils to Craighill School, Kincorth. Kincorth branch secretary, Mr. Allan McKechnie, explained that branch members were deeply unhappy about the way the issue had been handled and had urged the Labour-controlled city council to think again about the decision. He added: “We don’t know how the kids are feeling. We’re saying there should be proper consultations on the whole matter and this has not happened.’
Evening Post, Aberdeen, September 24, 2001.