Difficulties that may arise when implementing anti-discriminatory practice in SEN schools & possible ways to overcome these difficulties

Hi Cally

Your comments regarding how Dover Hall follows their policies and procedures to implement best practice regarding anti-discrimination followed by your observation of one your colleagues, just goes to prove that actively promoting anti-discriminatory practice is another thing entirely!

From my own observations in the short time that I have worked in this school, I can see how there may difficulties that may arise when implementing anti-discriminatory practice; I have also witnessed how these difficulties are challenged and are overcome in this school.

There is such a wide age range of children in this school - from early years to age 19.  They all have severe physical and/or complex medical needs.  Most people who are not aware of the service this school provides, have the opinion that the children are purely here for 'day care', attending to and caring for their individual physical and medical needs.  Of course, taking the correct care of these needs is paramount and there are many professionals that are employed such as nurses, physiotherapists and speech therapists to provide for the children's medical care and other therapies that support their needs.  However, this is a SEN school and all of the children have a right to and do receive an education.  The school curriculum is delivered appropriately to meet each child's individual needs no matter what their individual physical/medical challenges may be.  

Many of the children have severe communication difficulties.  This does not mean that their 'voice' and opinions are not 'heard' and valued from the teachers and support staff that work at the school.  The school's staff are all fluent BSL interpreters for example.  They support each individual child to express their needs and preferences by organising this type of communication support.  (The school's staff are trained in providing a range of communication support mechanisms for their children's individual communication preferences and needs.)  The school also has interpreters for children and their families if they do not speak English (the local language).

http://saxonhill..staffs.sch.uk/ follow their link to 'Therapies' .


Gail

Event

I did my first night shift for Dover Hall on Tuesday, it was tiring and quiet. Whilst on my shift I overheard one of my colleagues tell a resident that it was bedtime at around 8:40pm. It is essential that service users are at the heart of the provision. She said ''Come on it's time to go to bed Beryl, it's getting late.'' This is discrimination as it's taking away her choices (empowering). I felt Beryl was being took away from socialisation as other residents were still up.
C.

Describe how anti-discriminatory practice is promoted.

Hi Gail,
I've spent the week at Dover Hall Residential Care Home situated in Derbyshire. The care home specializes in elderly residents who have Dementia. It is beautifully presented throughout and it offers residents a clean environment in which to stay.

Promoting anti-discriminatory practice at Dover Hall Residential Care Home:
The care home follows acts in place which promotes anti-discriminatory practice.

• The Data Protection Act 1998:

This act is there to govern individual's data. It protects people's right to privacy. By not having the access to individuals data, people can not discriminate and people are protected against discrimination.

• Nursing and Residential Care Home Regulations 1984

The act states that all residents should get treated with the same amount of equality in a nursing and residential care home. This will stop discrimination as a resident can't be penalized as the act is there to protect residents and to ensure that they are treated equally.

• Care Standard Act 2000

This act is in place to ensure that all care institutions abide by providing each service user with equality care. This prevents discrimination as a resident can't be victimized.

• Sex Discrimination Act 1975

The act is there to ensure that men and women are treated the same. This stops discrimination in Dover Hall Care Home as men and women are treated the same regardless of their sex.

• Age Discrimination Act 2006

The act protects an individual from being discriminated against regarding their age. This prevents discrimination in Dover Hall Care Home as residents or employees can not be discriminated against as the law is their for protection so it should be abided by.

How Anti-Discriminatory Practice is Promoted in SEN Schools

In a previous blog I mentioned that the school uses specific legislation to write their policies and procedures.  I did not list the Education Act 2002 and the Children Act 1989.  These two Acts are substantial when considering any child's health, welfare and education.  They provide the regulatory and statutory guidance to raise standards and improve outcomes in the delivery of children's services.  The school's policies and procedures are written for and used as guidance for employees, volunteers and the children's parents/carers.  The school is regulated by Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills); they are independent and impartial.  They inspect and regulate services which care for children and young people, and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages and abilities.  The school ensures that it promotes anti-discriminatory practice through the effective implementation of these policies and procedures for the good of all those that use their services and Ofsted, as the regulator, audit their policies and procedures to ensure compliance.

The school has to ensure that their policies and procedures are kept up to date and reviewed annually. Also it is essential that all employees and volunteers understand the role that these policies and procedures play in promoting anti-discriminatory practice at the school and why it is important that they must comply with the guidance.

Please see link to the Official Home of Enacted UK Legislation where you can find both the Education Act 2002 and Children Act 1989.

Gail
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/

Please find link to Ofsted below.
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/sites/default/files/imagecache/image803x273/images/carousel/s25_pupilsexperiment.jpg

How Anti-Discriminatory Practice is Promoted in SEN Schools

This SEN school 'actively' promotes equality and the rights of individuals, whether they are working/volunteering in the school or are using the services provided by the school.  There are seven principles of the care value base; these principles place the individual at the heart of health and social care provision.  These principles are:

1. the promotion of anti-discriminatory practice
2. the promotion and support of dignity, independence and safety
3. respect for, and acknowledgement of, personal beliefs and an individual's identity
4. the maintenance of confidentiality
5. protection from abuse and harm
6. the promotion of effective communication and relationships
7. the provision of personalised (individual) care. 

At all times, the staff and volunteers at the school, follow these principles and values when caring for their children and when delivering the school curriculum.  Therefore, they are promoting individuals' rights and choices and automatically demonstrating anti-discriminatory practice.  This has a positive impact on the all of the children in the school and their families too.

For more information on these principles and values please refer to BTEC's Resources Level 3 Health and Social Care Book 1, ISBN 978-1-846907-46-3, page 60 and Core Themes Series, Health and Social Care ISBN 978-0-435464-25-7, pages 44 and 45.

Gail

Describe How Anti-Discriminatory Practice is Promoted in SEN Schools

The other piece of guidance that the school relates to is the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (last updated in November 2011).  This is practical advice for local education authorities, maintained schools and early education settings on how to carry out their statutory duties to make provision for children's special educational needs.  However, the code does not and could not tell these individual bodies what to do in each individual case.

Please see link for more detailed information.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDcQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.education.gov.uk%2Fpublications%2FeOrderingDownload%2FDfES%25200581%2520200mig2228.pdf&ei=kPiiUryoMMfxhQf2yICQCA&usg=AFQjCNHI1aAazntQ7lJzBvArt-5_gO6xvQ

Gail

Discribe How Anti-Discriminatory Practice is Promoted in SEN Schools

Promoting anti-discriminatory practice at this SEN school is defined by working with children and their families to embrace diversity and the valuing of all difference; raise self-esteem and promote a positive group identity and ensure fulfilment of children's individual potential.

The school has used the guidance from various pieces of legislation to create their own policies designed to reduce discrimination.  These include the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN, 1989), The Human Rights Act 1998, The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (as amended), Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, the Equality Act 2010.

However, whilst this legislation is important because it is designed to protect the children, the one thing it cannot do is change some people’s attitudes towards discriminating against disability.

See link to this school's policies, procedures and National Minimum Standards.
http://saxonhill.staffs.sch.uk/residential/important-documents.aspx

Gail