The focus of this study is on the experiences of parents of children with special
educational needs who advocate for their children in the special needs system.
The Special Educational Needs Tribunal was set up in 1994 and since then more
than 25,000 appeals have been registered (Hughes, 2005). In 2002, the Tribunal
began hearing claims for disability discrimination and became known as the
Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDisT). The aim of this
study is to foreground the parents' experiences of the system of SENDisT and to
develop understanding of the experience of parenting a child with special
educational needs and/ or impairments.
SENDisT is more than ten years old, yet research into the workings of SENDisT
has been very limited (Aldridge, 2003). A study which foregrounds parents'
perspectives is, then, well overdue. As part of the narrative inquiry, parents were
asked to tell their stories of going to SENDisT. Twenty four parents and eight
professionals told their Tribunal stories.
This study has key implications for the workings of SENDisT but it also
contributes to the current debates in special education, including the system of
statements, the policy of inclusion, and the working of parent-professional
relationships. The study has relevance for the stake holders in the system of
special education including children, parents, teachers, panel members,
psychologists, LEA officers and academics. At the same time, the study reflects the
uncertainty that parents who engage with Tribunals will face in the future. In a
policy climate which reflects the abilist assumptions of the wider society (DfES,
2005), it is difficult to remain optimistic about the outcomes for children and their
parents. However, it seems certain that some parents, at least, will continue to
resist, contest and challenge the limitations and interpretations put upon their
families' lives