Justice-Involved Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability: What Are the Implications for Access to Identification and Support Through an Education, Health and Care Plan? A Thought Piece

This thought piece exposes the gap in the operationalised support in England for young people within the justice system who have special educational needs and disabilities. It exposes inequity within the system which serves to create barriers for justice-involved young people, who are likely to alre...

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Main Author: Tristan Middleton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/5/273
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author Tristan Middleton
author_facet Tristan Middleton
author_sort Tristan Middleton
collection DOAJ
description This thought piece exposes the gap in the operationalised support in England for young people within the justice system who have special educational needs and disabilities. It exposes inequity within the system which serves to create barriers for justice-involved young people, who are likely to already be disengaged from education, in accessing appropriate provision. It presents gaps in key educational advice and practice relating to access to Education, Health and Care Plans as a route to support for justice-involved young people, identifying a negative bias for this group of children who are already marginalised. Within the context of an English Special Educational Needs system which is widely recognised as broken, and an ongoing parliamentary consultation into ways to improve the situation, this piece suggests key changes to reduce the inequitable access to special education provision for young people accommodated in the secure estate. These suggestions make a contribution to the agenda of English politicians and the Department of Education.
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spelling doaj-art-c935acb0394548e7accaffef0e4825bd2025-08-20T02:33:55ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602025-04-0114527310.3390/socsci14050273Justice-Involved Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability: What Are the Implications for Access to Identification and Support Through an Education, Health and Care Plan? A Thought PieceTristan Middleton0School of Education & Science, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham GL50 2RH, UKThis thought piece exposes the gap in the operationalised support in England for young people within the justice system who have special educational needs and disabilities. It exposes inequity within the system which serves to create barriers for justice-involved young people, who are likely to already be disengaged from education, in accessing appropriate provision. It presents gaps in key educational advice and practice relating to access to Education, Health and Care Plans as a route to support for justice-involved young people, identifying a negative bias for this group of children who are already marginalised. Within the context of an English Special Educational Needs system which is widely recognised as broken, and an ongoing parliamentary consultation into ways to improve the situation, this piece suggests key changes to reduce the inequitable access to special education provision for young people accommodated in the secure estate. These suggestions make a contribution to the agenda of English politicians and the Department of Education.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/5/273special educational needs and disabilitieseducation health care planchildren and young people in conflict with the lawlocal authorities
spellingShingle Tristan Middleton
Justice-Involved Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability: What Are the Implications for Access to Identification and Support Through an Education, Health and Care Plan? A Thought Piece
Social Sciences
special educational needs and disabilities
education health care plan
children and young people in conflict with the law
local authorities
title Justice-Involved Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability: What Are the Implications for Access to Identification and Support Through an Education, Health and Care Plan? A Thought Piece
title_full Justice-Involved Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability: What Are the Implications for Access to Identification and Support Through an Education, Health and Care Plan? A Thought Piece
title_fullStr Justice-Involved Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability: What Are the Implications for Access to Identification and Support Through an Education, Health and Care Plan? A Thought Piece
title_full_unstemmed Justice-Involved Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability: What Are the Implications for Access to Identification and Support Through an Education, Health and Care Plan? A Thought Piece
title_short Justice-Involved Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability: What Are the Implications for Access to Identification and Support Through an Education, Health and Care Plan? A Thought Piece
title_sort justice involved children with special educational needs and disability what are the implications for access to identification and support through an education health and care plan a thought piece
topic special educational needs and disabilities
education health care plan
children and young people in conflict with the law
local authorities
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/5/273
work_keys_str_mv AT tristanmiddleton justiceinvolvedchildrenwithspecialeducationalneedsanddisabilitywhataretheimplicationsforaccesstoidentificationandsupportthroughaneducationhealthandcareplanathoughtpiece