A Study of Parents’ Activities Promoting the Inclusive Education System in the United Kingdom

― Focus on London Borough of Newham after the Education Act 1981 ―

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to clarify what kind of discussion and activities promoted the inclusive education system of Newham. The research methods are to conduct an interview with a participant of Newham Parents’ Support Network and analyzed of some policy documents, related papers. 　In the UK, the number of special schools had been increasing by 1970s. This system segregated many disabled children into special schools. The disability movement had criticized this system and some parents joined it to acquire“parental rights”“. Warnock Report” and Education Act 1981 stipulated that children with special educational needs should be educated in mainstream schools if parents request it. However, the government had not prepared additional budgets for integration. Therefore, the parents’ campaign for educational support in mainstream school occurred in the 1980s. 　The Parents Centre of Newham provided the learning activities for parents of disabled children to know the purpose and contents of 1981 Education Act. The participants started to recognize their rights to education, represented their concern with integration. After that, they launched Newham Parents’ Support Network to enable parents to recognize their knowledge, skills, needs, put them into practice. 5 participants of NPSN joined Integration Working Party from 1983, shared their idea with the councilors, teachers, and officers of local education authority. Moreover, the parents made relationships with disabled young people who had graduated from special schools, shared the matters of“segregation”. 　The parents became a councilor（chair of the education committee in 1988- 1994） and school governors. The Integration Steering Group in education committee started the closure programs of 6 special schools, produced the learning support services in mainstream schools. 　In the 1990s, the parents, disabled children and adults, the teachers in mainstream schools, and LEA officers participated in Inclusion Project, and they created“The Newham Local Education Authority Inclusion Charter” and“The Audit”. It promoted a policy of making all parents feel their children will be welcomed in mainstream schools. After that, LEA’s officers reviewed all the SEN policies of mainstream schools according to Inclusion Charter and Audit. 　In Labor Government, the Department of Education and Employment organized the National Advisory Group on SEN. They shared good practices of Newham. Green Paper and the code of practice of Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 promoted the school- based approaches with supporting from LEAs. The role of LEAs was reviewed, and placements of pupils with statements in mainstream schools were increased by the 2000s. 　As a result of this study, it becomes clear that: the discussions with parents, the disabled adults and children, the teachers, local officers played important roles to acquire the educational supports in mainstream schools in Newham. They shared the concerns of each other, changed their roles, put the end of“segregation” in special schools as local level.