Free Hybrid Seminar – SEND Reforms and School Exclusions: will the proposals help vulnerable children?

This seminar is hosted by the School Inclusion Project, a forum coordinated by the Garden Court Chambers Education Law Team in partnership with the Communities Empowerment Network, Coram Children’s Legal Centre and the Law Centres Network.

The Government has published its long-anticipated proposals for reform of the special educational needs and disabilities (“SEND”) system.

This comes at a time of crisis. Exclusion numbers continue to rise to record levels. Children with SEND remain vulnerable to exclusion, as they continue to be excluded up to four times more than their peers.

This session will bring together expert speakers to examine the effect of the government’s proposed reforms on the exclusion of children and young people with SEND. Attendees will learn about the legal changes that will impact excluded pupils, and those at risk of exclusion. It will also look at what opportunities exist for systemic change.

Attendees will hear from an experienced panel of specialists before being able to engage in questions and discussion on this vital subject.

Speakers

Alex Temple, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Alex is a barrister specialising in public law, discrimination and human rights. He has extensive experience in education, community care, policing and criminal records. Alex often advises children and vulnerable adults in cases arising from schools, colleges, exam boards, universities, integrated care boards and local and central government. Alex acts regularly in claims for judicial review, EHCP appeals and money claims. He has experience acting in proposed strategic litigation, and advises changemaking individuals and organisations.

Dan Rosenberg, Director and Head of Education & Children’s Rights, Gold Jennings
Dan is a Director of Gold Jennings and leads the education and children’s rights department.  He is an education and public law specialist with two decades of experience advising on children’s rights. His work spans all areas of education law, and often involves using judicial review to protect his client’s interests by challenging public authorities’ decisions, actions, or lack of action.  He has extensive experience in exclusions, admissions, special educational needs as well as education related judicial reviews.  He regularly represents parents in the independent school sector, and is also familiar with using the Equality Act to assist his clients in a range of situations. Along with his education work, Dan has practised social care law throughout his career.  His children’s rights work focuses on protecting the interests of disabled children and their families, as well as acting for young people in or leaving care.

Polly Sweeney, Partner, Rooke Irwin Sweeney
Polly is highly experienced in all areas of education law including appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal regarding EHC Plans and school placements, disability discrimination claims, and judicial reviews on a wide range of issues including failure to educate and funding for special educational needs. She regularly advises parents, disabled children and young people, and schools on disputes involving admissions, exclusions, examinations, safeguarding, special educational needs, and wider complaints. Where possible, she seeks to resolve these types of dispute outside of court including through mediation. Polly also acts for teachers in misconduct proceedings before the Teaching Regulation Agency.

Reserve your online ticket
If you have booked an online ticket, we will send joining details to all those who have signed up on the day of the event. If you have not received the link by 2pm on Thursday 16th April, and it is not in your junk inbox, please email webinars@gclaw.co.uk.